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REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints202101.0002.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Immunology And Allergy Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; animals; veterinary
Online: 4 January 2021 (08:27:33 CET)
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a well-known group of viruses in veterinary medicine. We currently know four genera of Coronavirus, alfa, beta, gamma and delta. Wild, farmed and pet animals are infected with CoVs belonging to all four genera. Seven human respiratory coronaviruses have still been identified, four of which cause upper respiratory tract diseases, specifically, the common cold, and the last three that have emerged cause severe acute respiratory syndromes, SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. In this review we briefly describe animal coronaviruses and what we actually know about SARS-CoV-2 infection in farm and domestic animals.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202012.0255.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Immunology And Allergy Keywords: Antimicrobial stewardship; veterinary; complex intervention
Online: 10 December 2020 (12:49:09 CET)
Antimicrobial use in agriculture has been identified as an area of focus for reducing overall antimicrobial use and improving stewardship. In this paper, we outline the design of a complex antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) intervention aimed at developing a national Veterinary Prescribing Champion programme for Welsh farm animal veterinary practices. We describe the process by which participants were encouraged to design and deliver bespoke individualised AMS activities at practice level by forging participant ‘champion’ identities and Communities of Practice through participatory and educational online activities. We describe the key phases identified as important when designing this complex intervention, namely (i) involving key collaborators in government and industry to stimulate project engagement; (ii) grounding the design in the literature, the results of stakeholder engagement, expert panel input and veterinary clinician feedback to promote contextual relevance and appropriateness; and (iii) taking a theoretical approach to implementing intervention design to foster critical psychological needs for participant motivation and scheme involvement. With recruitment of over 80% of all farm animal practices in Wales to the programme, we also describe demographic data of the participating Welsh Veterinary Prescribing Champions in order to inform recruitment and design of future AMS programmes.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints201710.0151.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: shelter medicine; animal sheltering; shelter surgery; veterinary medical education; veterinary student training; population medicine; biosecurity
Online: 24 October 2017 (03:47:43 CEST)
While referral-level medicine is important in the veterinary curriculum, students also need a solid base knowledge of clinically relevant routine surgery and diagnostic skills. Veterinary hospitals must maintain a steady caseload that provides wellness cases and commonly encountered conditions. Shelter Medicine programs can create the opportunities to meet these challenges. Students can gain quantifiable surgical experience in spay/neuter with measured growth in surgical efficiency and competency while providing needed community service for animal shelters. Students can directly interact with shelter animals by performing examinations, diagnostic testing, and development of treatment protocols and recommendations for commonly encountered problems. Furthermore, students can obtain a working knowledge of biosecurity on a population level to minimize risk of infectious diseases spreading to healthy populations.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202006.0130.v2
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: academic performance; COVID-19; veterinary; online learning
Online: 21 August 2020 (02:25:37 CEST)
Many universities and colleges worldwide suspended classroom teaching due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and switched to online teaching. The current cross-sectional study was carried out to analyze the impact of lockdown due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the academic performance of veterinary medical students and researchers. Veterinary medical students and researchers were invited to answer an online google form questionnaire. A total of 1398 participants were from 92 different countries answered the questionnaire with response rate of 94.52%. The data showed that COVID-19 pandemic lockdown affected the academic performance of most participants (96.7%) with varying degrees. The mean evaluation scores for the online education in general was 5.06 ± 2.43 while that for the practical parts was 3.62± 2.56. Although online education provides an opportunity for self-study. The main challenge online education faces in veterinary medical science is how to give practical lessons. Since most of the subjects are practical; therefore, it is not easy to learn it online. Students think that it is difficult to fulfill the veterinary competencies only with online education system. Online education can be improved by making it more interactive, showing medical procedures in real situations, giving concise information, and providing 3D virtual tools to mimic the real situation.
COMMUNICATION | doi:10.20944/preprints202003.0306.v1
Subject: Social Sciences, Library And Information Sciences Keywords: information behavior; veterinary information needs; online survey
Online: 20 March 2020 (05:22:05 CET)
During 2010, at the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (fmvz-unam) we analyzed the influence of metadata over its website according to the search engines used by the academic community. This document serves only the second specific objective of the research: to know the academic profile, the informative behavior and the veterinary information needs of the academic community of the fmvz-unam. The methodological tool was the design and implementation of an online survey. We received 215 responses, two thirds answered academic staff, the rest, undergraduate and postgraduate students. In relation to information behavior, an Internet-usage index was developed, with which it was determined that 64 % of this community uses four or five information services on the Internet, This means that the network is widely used to seek information and as communication media. This community search for more veterinary information related to dogs, dairy cattle and sheep, compared to other animal species; while animal welfare, zoonosis and molecular biology are the topics of greatest interest.
REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints202003.0151.v1
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Agricultural Science And Agronomy Keywords: efficacy; ethno-veterinary; livestock; medicine; smallholder farmer
Online: 9 March 2020 (10:03:51 CET)
Often touted as an ancient and sustainable practice among indigenous livestock farmers in developing countries, the use of ethno-veterinary medicine is examined within the context of its efficacy. While there are undoubtedly positive implications for adopting knowledge and practice that align with nature, there is both prevalence and ambivalence to the adoption of indigenous plant knowledge and resources for the treatment of livestock infections and diseases. This situation is due to the lack of validation and standardization of the practice in low-income countries, requiring scholarly efforts in developing this indigenous knowledge system.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints201703.0186.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: veterinary; allergic dermatitis; low level laser therapy
Online: 24 March 2017 (10:32:49 CET)
Background: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in domestic animals is one of the problems of modern veterinary. Treating with standard techniques using chemotherapeutic agents not always leads to a positive result of therapy; moreover, many drugs produce adverse side effects. Methods: Low level laser therapy, in particular, intravenous laser blood illumination (ILBI) has a pronounced and long-lasting impact on the immune system of animals. The combined technique including ILBI-635 (635 nm, 2 mW, 5 min) and LUVBI® (365 nm, 2 mW, 3 min) every other day provides a positive change in clinical status of cats with allergic dermatitis after the 3rd-4th treatment session. Results: The increased level of erythrocytes and hemoglobin was identified in the course of treatment, and it indirectly indicates increased blood transport activity, which improves trophic provision and microcirculation. A double reduction of leukocytes and a significant decrease of neutrophil cells indicate the immunomodulatory effect of LILI (low-intensity laser illumination). The increase in the percentage of lymphocytes and the decrease of eosinophils and monocytes against the background of basophil concentrations deviations within physiological concentration result in the reduction of inflammatory mediators expression that induce itching. The reduction of total IgE concentration 32 times against control on the 7th day of treatment correlates with the decrease in the quantitative content of peripheral blood eosinophils, indicating the decrease in severity of an allergic process. Conclusion: LLLT is recommended against the background of standard drug therapy to achieve quick clinical outcome together with a long-lasting prolonged effect.
REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints202310.0265.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: Viscum album; Paolo Pelini; veterinary medicine; hypertension,diabetes
Online: 5 October 2023 (08:27:01 CEST)
Viscum album L., also known as “Mistletoe”, is a hemiparasitic plant native to the European continent that grows on various host trees. This plant contains a wide variety of active compounds that can be used for treat various diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, as an anti- inflammatory and antioxidant. However, it is most indicated in human medicine for the adjuvant treatment of cancer patients. Both for its properties directed against neoplastic cells and for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In Veterinary Medicine, I am very few studies are recorded for animals, although formulations are available for commercial use in oral and injectable form, mostly for homeopathic use. Many studies have been conducted on a large scale by groups of independent researchers and doctors in several countries, such as Switzerland, Germany and Brazil. Therefore, this review aimed to collect data on the use of Viscum album in Veterinary Medicine in order to encourage research in this sector not only in oncological diseases but in other directions in which Viscum can find use as an anti-pretensive and anti-diabetic agent. Introduction: Lectins, flavonoids, phenols such as phenylpropanoids, coumarins, sterols, lignans, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, fatty acids and viscotoxins are among the main active ingredients present in the phytocomplexes of the Viscum album plant. In particular, Attention should be given to specific oligoproteins in consideration of their activity biological . present in The foliage and fruits of V. album, as in other related species, contain low-weight proteins molecular type of thionin, called viscotoxins, as well as characteristic lectins, called viscolectins, both can contribute to its system defense and can be found in extracts and related products. These classes of Viscum microproteins have received considerable attention due to their contribution to effects cytotoxics and immunostimulants of mistletoe extracts used in medicine, as discussed later, including their mechanism of action [ 2–3] viscotoxins can increase the number of cells circulating naturalkillers and consequently improve the response host antitumor immunity [ 8]. Likewise, the a viscotoxin has an effective immunomodulatory impact on human and animal granulocytes [ 9, 10] and also acts on cellular apoptosis . The cytotoxic action of viscotoxin is comparable to that of conventional chemotherapeutic agents [ 12].
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202309.1819.v1
Subject: Environmental And Earth Sciences, Environmental Science Keywords: Veterinary antibiotics; translocation; phytotoxicity; bioconcentration factor; rice paddy
Online: 27 September 2023 (06:57:05 CEST)
Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) have been indiscriminately used in animal feed for the past five decades to increase and ensure profits with negligible environmental considerations. The VAs amoxicillin (AMX), chlortetracycline (CTC), and oxytetracycline (OTC), which can be unintentionally introduced by irrigation water during rice cultivation, were evaluated for their phytotoxic effects, absorption-translocation into plants, and soil residues using a randomized complete block design. It was found that exposure to VAs can severely affect the photosynthetic pathway of rice plants. The uptake and translocation of VAs by rice plants varied significantly. CTC and OTC translocated more easily than AMX, a member of the β-lactam class, which accumulated at the lowest concentration compared to CTC and OTC across all treatments. Rice yield was about 4.3 - 5.7% lower in the experimental plots that received fifty-fold the background levels of VAs compared to the control. The findings indicate that these widely used veterinary antibiotics can hamper crop production, leave residues in the soil, and constitute a risk to human health if introduced into the agro-ecosystem unintentionally.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202305.2207.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: antimicrobials; companion animals; veterinary electronic prescription; antimicrobial resistance
Online: 31 May 2023 (08:51:16 CEST)
Companion animals are increasingly being recognized as important contributors to the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The present work aimed to measure the antimicrobial drug prescribing in dogs and cats in the Campania region, Italy by analyzing the Veterinary Electronic Prescriptions (VEPs) between 2019 and 2020. The medical records associated with antimicrobial drug prescription were collected considering the drug delivery (systemic or local) and the rationale for the treatment chosen. In the period under investigation, 166879 drugs were prescribed of which 129116 (73.37 %) were antimicrobial. A total of 83965 (65.03 %) antibiotics were prescribed to dogs, 40477 (31.35 %) to cats, and 4674 (3.62 %) to other companion animals. In dogs the 90.48 % of VEPs prescribed for systemic treatment included an antimicrobial Critically Important or Highly Important or Important for human medicine (WHO, 2018). The most widely commonly prescribed class were fluoroquinolones. The main prescribed antimicrobials were the metronidazole-spiramycin (29.71%), amoxicillin-clavulanic (19.58%), enrofloxacin and cephalexin in dogs (16.52 %) and enrofloxacin (22.64%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (21.37 %) in cats. Based on the results the wide use of broad-spectrum or second-line antibiotics is emerged together with the use of the critically important antimicrobials for human medicine.
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Oncology And Oncogenics Keywords: female dog; cell culture; mammary cancer; veterinary; oncology
Online: 15 April 2020 (07:59:18 CEST)
Mammary neoplasm affects a population of intact and elderly female dogs and 50% are malignant. In order to study this disease, cell culture is as a promising preclinical model, creating the opportunity to deposit cell lines at a cell bank, allowing a great reproducibility of the assays and making the validation of the results more reliable. Another important aspect is the possibility to establish models for better understanding tumour characteristics, such as vasculogenic mimicry. Due the importance of cancer cell lines in preclinical models, this study aimed to establish and characterize primary cell lines from canine mammary gland tumours according to immunophenotype and tumorigenicity, and with its ability to form vasculogenic mimicry-like structures in vitro and in vivo. Cell cultures were evaluated for morphology, phenotype, vasculogenic mimicry and tumorigenicity abilities. We collected 17 primary mammary carcinoma and 3 metastasis and had a satisfactory result in 10 of them. All cell lines presented spindle shape or polygonal morphology and expressed concomitant pan-cytokeratin and cytokeratin 8/18. Four cell lines had vasculogenic mimicry ability in vitro and two of them showed in vivo tumorigenic potential and forming VM in the xenotransplant tumour. Cell characterization of those lines will help to create a database for more knowledge of mammary carcinomas in dogs, including studies of tumour behaviour and new therapeutic targets.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202307.1831.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: machine learning; veterinary medical education; random forest; medical education; artificial intelligence; Python; R; veterinary educators; educational data mining; learning analytics
Online: 26 July 2023 (14:02:31 CEST)
Machine learning (ML) offers potential opportunities to enhance the learning, teaching and assessments within veterinary medical education including but not limited to assisting with admissions processes as well as student progress evaluations. The purpose of this primer is to assist veterinary educators in appraising and potentially adopting these rapid upcoming advances in data science and technology. In the first section, we introduce ML concepts and highlight similarities/differences between ML and classical statistics. In the second section, we provide a step-by-step worked example using simulated veterinary student data to answer a hypothesis driven question. Python syntax with explanations is provided within the text to create a random forest ML prediction model and within each step, specific considerations such as how to manage incomplete student records are highlighted when applying ML algorithms within the veterinary education field. The results from the simulated data demonstrate how decisions by the veterinary educator during ML model creation may impact the most important features contributing to the model. These results highlight the need for the veterinary educator to be fully transparent during the creation of ML models and future research is needed to establish guidelines for handling data not missing at random in medical education, and preferred methods for model evaluation.
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Food Science And Technology Keywords: broiler; feed additives; LC–MS/MS; meat legislation; meat safety; poultry meat; veterinary drugs
Online: 22 September 2021 (12:13:55 CEST)
Brazil chicken production is around 13 million tons and about a third is exported to over 150 countries, placing Brazil as the world largest chicken meat producer, and therefore it is crucial to follow the legislation of all importer markets. This study conducted a survey by chance in 45 meat industries able to export. Therefore, 2580 chicken meat samples were collected and submitted to 11 analyte extraction and chromatographic verification of compliance in an accredited laboratory. Ten chemical residues (amoxicillin, bacitracin, colistin, dinitolmide + zoalene, spectinomycin, roxarsone, tiamulin, tylosin, trenbolone acetate and virginiamycin) were investigated in chicken meat and one (halofuginone hydrobromide) in chicken liver. The results showed that no compound exceeded the maximum residue limits established by seven legislations. All residue concentrations found were below the method quantification limit, thereby confirming the capability of Brazilian chicken meat industries in complying to foreign markets.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202009.0567.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; barriers; perception; survey; veterinary practitioners
Online: 24 September 2020 (04:41:43 CEST)
Usage of antimicrobials in veterinary practices has always been under scrutiny due to the perceived risk of resulting in antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. This creates the necessity for understanding the role of the prescriber group. Hence, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among veterinary practitioners from August to November 2019 in the Chattogram district of Bangladesh, aiming to assess the practitioner’s perceptions regarding antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue. We collected responses from 100 veterinarians engaged in the treatment of the large animal, poultry, and pet animal through a self-administrated questionnaire. Proportions were calculated for categorical variables and the results are presented using visual aids. Our study revealed two key barriers - scarcity of enough information on antimicrobial used, and the lack of training in the proper prescription of antimicrobials. Participants recognized that prescribing too many varieties of antimicrobials and the use of an incomplete course of drugs as two very important causes for the development of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, prescription of inappropriate doses and incentives from pharmaceutical companies were dubbed as important causes. We also found that along with clinical features and types of organisms, the availability of drugs in the local market and the economic conditions of farmers have potential impacts on the antimicrobials prescribing decision of the veterinarians. However, all participants recognized the emerging threats of AMR. Results suggested that capacity building of veterinarians and the maintenance of strong coordination are crucial in ensuring the proper engagement of veterinarians as the front-line fighters for tackling the AMR issue.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202307.0530.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: veterinary medicine; law; professional ethics; moral philosophy; code of ethics
Online: 10 July 2023 (03:45:11 CEST)
The practice of the veterinary profession is regulated by public law and corporate regulations. The most fundamental corporate regulations of veterinary associations, to which membership is a condition of practising the profession, are the codes of veterinary ethics. The codes of ethics contain five basic rules for practising veterinary responsibilities to animals, clients, the public, the veterinary team, and the veterinarians themselves. Veterinarians are often faced with dilemmas about whose interests to protect; this is due to the tasks the profession carries out while protecting the animals of their owners and the public. Ethical principles are a guideline for veterinarians in difficult situations. Depending on the hierarchy of values imposed by codes of ethics, different decisions can be made. In this article, we present the importance that the Polish code of veterinary ethics gives to animal welfare as an obligation of veterinarians towards animals and compare how animal welfare is positioned in the European, American, British and New Zealand codes of veterinary ethics. In contrast to other codes, the Polish code of veterinary ethics does not sufficiently recognise animal welfare as a value to be protected in the practice of the profession.
REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints202009.0579.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Pathology And Pathobiology Keywords: stray dogs; Pasteur Institute; vaccination; colonial; British India; Civil Veterinary Department
Online: 24 September 2020 (11:13:30 CEST)
India bears the highest burden of global dog-mediated human rabies deaths. Despite this, rabies is not notifiable in India, and continues to be underprioritized in public health discussions. This review examines the historical treatment of rabies in British India, a disease which has received relatively less attention in the literature on Indian medical history. Human and animal rabies was widespread in British India and treatment of bite victims imposed a major financial burden on the colonial Government of India. It subsequently became a driver of Pasteurism in India and globally and a key component of British colonial scientific enterprise. Efforts to combat rabies led to the establishment of a wide network of research institutes in India and important breakthroughs in development of rabies vaccines. As a result of these efforts, rabies no longer posed a significant threat to the British and it declined in administrative and public health priorities in India towards the end of colonial rule; a decline that has yet to be reversed in modern-day India. The review also highlights features of the administrative, scientific and societal approaches to dealing with this disease in British India which persist to this day.
REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints201611.0067.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: vancomycin; broad view; veterinary use at a glance; rational use; alternatives
Online: 12 November 2016 (11:09:37 CET)
Vancomycin is one of the ‘last-line’ classes of antibiotics used in the treatment of life-threatening infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Even though vancomycin was discovered in 1950s it was widely used after 1980s for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococci as prevalence of such strains were increased. However, currently it is evident that vancomycin resistant Staphylococcusaureusandvancomycin-resistant Enterococci have been developed as a result of various reasons including use of avaparcin, which is an analog of vancomycin, as feed additive in livestock. In present day context, more attention should be paid on prevention of emergence of resistance for the antibiotics in order to keep antibiotics effective. In order to prevent emergence of resistance, proper guidance for the responsible use of antimicrobials is indispensable. Therefore, almost all stakeholders who use antibiotics should have in depth understanding on the antibiotic they use. As such, it is imperative to be aware of the important aspects of vancomycin. In the present review, efforts have been made to discussthe pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, indications, emergence of resistance, control of resistance, adverse effects and alternative therapy for vancomycin.
CASE REPORT | doi:10.20944/preprints201911.0379.v2
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science And Zoology Keywords: animal nocardiosis; Nocardia; veterinary mycology; actinomycetes; Russian Federation; pet; dermatitis; Nocardia asteroides
Online: 3 December 2019 (12:15:22 CET)
Two cases of cutaneous nocardiosis in a cat and in a dog have been described. Diagnosis was made on basis of direct microscopy and cultural mycological analysis. Phenotypic characteristics of two indigenous Nocardia strains are presented. The strain isolated from cat was presumably identified as N. asteroids. There have been no reports of suchlike cases in pets in Russia so far.
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Biology And Biotechnology Keywords: veterinary diagnostics; lateral flow tests; rapid tests; functionalized nanoparticles; signal enhancement; cow diseases
Online: 28 November 2019 (11:07:05 CET)
In this article, we describe an immunochromatographic test system developed for rapid serodiagnostics of cattle brucellosis using two markers: gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and quantum dots (QDs). The test system was compared with immunochromatographic serodiagnostics systems that use only one marker. The approbation of the test system was conducted on samples of cattle sera with low, but diagnostically significant titers of specific antibodies. We show that when two conjugates are used, the intensity of the detectable signal increases by 2–3 times compared with the test system using the QD conjugate and by more than 9 times compared with the system using the GNP conjugate.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints201809.0455.v1
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science And Zoology Keywords: Flying-fox, disaster management, heat events, heat stress, roost management, physiology, veterinary management.
Online: 24 September 2018 (12:28:19 CEST)
Flying-fox populations are increasingly threatened by heat events, starvation events and other stressors due to habitat clearing and human/flying-fox conflict.These factors are unlikely to resolve, meaning that a well-coordinated and timely approach to flying-fox disasters is imperative for the mitigation of further flying-fox population impacts.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202008.0634.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: bovine TB; risk factors; disease control; animal health policy; veterinary epidemiology; evidence-based policy
Online: 28 August 2020 (11:25:31 CEST)
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreaks, caused by Mycobacterium bovis infection, are a costly animal health challenge. Understanding factors associated with the duration of outbreaks, known as breakdowns, could lead to better disease management policy development. We undertook a retrospective observational study (2012-2018) and employed Finite Mixture Models (FMM) to model the outcome parameter, and to investigate how factors were associated with duration for differing subpopulations identified. In addition to traditional risk factors (e.g. herd size, bTB history), we also explored farm geographic area, parcels/farm fragmentation, metrics of intensity via nitrogen loading, and whether herds were designated controlled beef finishing units (CBFU) as potential risk factors for increased duration. The final model fitted log-normal distributions, with two latent classes (k) which partitioned the population into a subpopulation around the central tendency of the distribution, and a second around the tails of the distribution. The latter subpopulation included longer breakdowns of policy interest. Increasing duration was positively associated with recent (<3 yrs) TB history and the number of reactors disclosed, (log) herd size, beef herd-type relative to other herd types, number of land parcels, area, and being designated a controlled finishing unit (“feedlot”), and having high annual inward cattle movements within the “tails” subpopulation. Breakdown length was negatively associated with year of commencement of breakdown (i.e. a decreasing trend) and non-significantly with the organic nitrogen produced on the farm (N kg/hectare), a measure of stocking density. The latter finding may be due to confounding effects with herd size and area. Most variables contributed only moderately to explaining variation in breakdown duration, that is, they had moderate size effects on duration. Herd-size and CBFU had greater effect sizes on the outcome. The findings contribute to evidence-based policy formation in Ireland.
REVIEW | doi:10.20944/preprints201708.0084.v2
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: euthanasia; veterinary ethics; medical ethics; end-of-life; assisted suicide; palliative care; assisted dying
Online: 7 December 2017 (05:20:50 CET)
Not a lot is known about either death or the dying process. Politicians and many in the medical profession in the UK tend to shy away from interfering with it by not allowing euthanasia as an end of life option for the patient. This is the first paper in a series of two, comparing the situation in human medicine and veterinary medicine, in which euthanasia is well practiced for relieving suffering at the end of an animal’s life. This first part takes the form of a literature review including best practice around end of life care, its deficiencies and the need for assisted dying. Veterinary surgeons are well trained in the ethics of euthanasia and put it to good use in the best interest of their animal patients. In countries which have legalized physician assisted suicide for the terminally ill reporting indicates that it works well, without increases in involuntary euthanasia and most importantly without intimidation of the vulnerable. However, there is still an ever increasing tendency to overuse sedation and opioids at the end of life, which merits further investigation. With advances in medical science able to significantly prolong the dying process, patient autonomy demands a review of the law in the UK.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints201708.0094.v2
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: euthanasia; veterinary ethics; medical ethics; end-of-life; assisted suicide; palliative care; assisted dying; moral stress
Online: 1 December 2017 (16:58:27 CET)
This is the second of a series of two papers comparing the end of life issues in human and veterinary medicine. We outline the main differences between human and animal patients such as patient communication, finance and ‘conflicts of interest’ between animal, owner and veterinarian. We discuss striking similarities between human and veterinary issues such as assessing quality of life and the primary role of the attending veterinarian or doctor being the welfare and care of the patient. This paper takes the form of an ethical argument in favour of allowing euthanasia in human medicine, by providing insights into end of life issues for humans from an independent veterinary perspective. Veterinary surgeons are well trained in the ethics of euthanasia and put it to good use in the best interest of their animal patients. Doctors in the UK are limited and unwilling to put forward a case for the option of euthanasia for those patients who face a slow and agonizing death. With advances in medical science being able to significantly prolong the dying process, autonomy for the patient demands a review of the law regarding patient choice in the UK.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202308.0360.v1
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Virology Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; coronavirus; pets; companion animals; reverse zoonosis; veterinary; animal welfare; feline; One Health
Online: 4 August 2023 (14:48:06 CEST)
Although domestic cats are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the role of the virus in causing feline disease is less well defined. We conducted a large-scale study to identify SARS-CoV-2 infections in UK pet cats, using active and passive surveillance. Remnant feline respiratory swab samples, submitted for other pathogen testing between May 2021 and February 2023, were screened using RT-qPCR. In addition, we appealed to veterinarians for swab samples from cats suspected of having clinical SARS-CoV-2 infections. Bespoke testing for SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies was also performed, on request, in suspected cases. One RT-qPCR-positive cat was identified from the active surveillance (1/549, 0.18 %), during the Delta wave (1/175, 0.57 %). Passive surveillance detected one cat infected with the Alpha variant, and two of ten cats tested RT-qPCR-positive during the Delta wave. No cats tested RT-qPCR-positive after the emergence of Omicron BA.1 and its descendants although 374 were tested by active and eleven by passive surveillance. We describe four cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pet cats, identified by RT-qPCR and/or serology, that presented with a range of clinical signs, as well as their SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences. Our results demonstrate that, although uncommon, clinical infections in cats can and do occur.
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science And Zoology Keywords: Stress; fear; anxiety; aggression; veterinary visit; low-stress handling; counterconditioning; behaviour modification; anxiolytic medication; psychoactive drugs; dogs; cats
Online: 8 January 2021 (14:37:01 CET)
A high proportion of dogs and cats are fearful during veterinary visits, which in some cases may escalate into aggression. Here, we discuss factors that contribute to negative emotions in a veterinary setting and how these can be addressed. The set-up of the waiting area (e.g. spatial dividers; elevated places for cat carriers), tailoring the examination and the treatment to the individual, considerate handling (minimal restraint when possible, avoiding leaning over or cornering animals) and offering high-value food or toys throughout the visit can promote security and, ideally, positive associations. Desensitisation and counterconditioning are highly recommended both to prevent and address existing negative emotions. Some negative experiences such as short-term pain from injections can be minimised by using tactile and cognitive distractions. Preemptive analgesia is recommended for known painful procedures. Recommendations for handling fearful animals to minimise aggressive responses are discussed. However, anxiolytics or sedation should be used whenever there is a risk of traumatising an animal or for safety reasons. Stress-reducing measures can decrease stress and fear in patients and consequently their owners – thus strengthening the relationship with the clients as well as increasing the professional satisfaction of veterinary staff.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202101.0050.v1
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Anatomy And Physiology Keywords: antibiotics residue; antimicrobial resistance; ethno-veterinary practices; Herbal formulations; cattle health; dairy farmers; cost effective health care model
Online: 4 January 2021 (13:56:26 CET)
This study demonstrated that antibiotic residue in milk can be reduced when dairy farmers use Ethno-veterinary Practices (EVP) based on herbal alternatives to prevent and cure common clinical conditions in cattle instead of antibiotics. Of the 220 farmers selected for the study, 140 were trained and motivated to use validated herbal formulations, 80 were kept as control. Milk samples from the selected farmers (except Thirukanurpatti milk society) tested positive for antibiotic residue in the baseline survey. One year after interventions, the milk from 123 (87.86%) farmers out of 140, were without any detectable antibiotic residue, while samples from 11 farmers (7.85%) were low positive for either Beta-lactams or sulphonamides and 6 (4.29%) were positive for Beta lactams and/or sulphonamides. These 17 (11 + 6) farmers had used antibiotics along with herbal formulations. The milk samples from the control groups were positive for beta lactam and sulphonamide. There was suggestive significance of change in knowledge, attitude and practice of EVP among the farmers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A progressive reduction in the incidence of mastitis, enteritis, repeat breeding and cowpox were observed from 2016 to 2019 among the cows treated with EVP. Use of herbal alternative also resulted in a significant reduction in health care expenditure of cattle.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202011.0054.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Immunology And Allergy Keywords: 3D printing; semi-solid extrusion 3D printing; additive manufacturing; extemporaneous manufacturing; drug delivery; personalized dosage forms; veterinary medicine; prednisolone
Online: 2 November 2020 (14:59:30 CET)
Currently, the number of approved veterinary medicines are limited, and human medications are used off-label. These approved human medications are of too high potencies for a cat or a small dog breed. Therefore, there is a dire demand for smaller doses of veterinary medicines. This study aims to investigate the use of three semi-solid extrusion 3D printers in a pharmacy or animal clinic setting for extemporaneous manufacturing of prednisolone containing orodispersible films for veterinary use. Orodispersible films with adequate content uniformity and acceptance values defined by the European Pharmacopoeia was produced with one of the studied printers, namely, the Allevi 2 bioprinter. Smooth and flexible films, with high mechanical strength, neutral pH, and low moisture content were produced with high correlation between prepared design and obtained drug amount, indicating that the Allevi 2 printer could successfully be used to extemporaneously manufacture personalized doses for animals at the point-of-care.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202311.0739.v1
Subject: Biology And Life Sciences, Virology Keywords: Newcastle Disease virus; adenovirus vaccine; vaccine manufacturing; intranasal vaccination; mucosal protection; HEK293 suspension cells; bioreactor production; downstream processing; veterinary vaccine production platform
Online: 13 November 2023 (14:21:24 CET)
Newcastle Disease (ND) remains a critical disease affecting poultry in sub-Saharan Africa. In some countries, repeated outbreaks have a major impact on local economies and food security. Recently, we developed an adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding the Fusion protein from an Ethiopian isolate of Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). The adenoviral vector was designed and a manufacturing process developed in the context of the Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund initia-tive funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. The industrial-ly-relevant recombinant vaccine technology platform is being transferred to the National Veteri-nary Institute (Ethiopia) for veterinary applications. Here, we demonstrate that the instillation of the adenoviral vector through the nasal cavity can confer protection to chickens against a lethal challenge with NDV. A manufacturing process using HEK293 suspension cells cultured in stirred-tank bioreactor for the vaccine production is proposed. Taking into consideration supply chain limitations, options for serum-free media selection have been evaluated. A streamlined downstream process including a filtration, an ultrafiltration and a concentration step was de-veloped. With high volumetric yields (infectious titers up to 5 x 109 TCID50/mL) in the culture su-pernatant, the final formulations were prepared at 1010 TCID50/mL, either in liquid or lyophi-lized forms. The liquid formulation was suitable and safe for mucosal vaccination and was sta-ble for 1 week at 37˚C. Both liquid and lyophilized formulations were stable after 6 months of storage at 4˚C. Overall, a manufacturing process for adenovirus vectored vaccine was developed and protective doses were determined using a convenient route of delivery. Formulation and storage conditions were established, and quality control protocols were implemented.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202112.0010.v2
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: infrared thermal imaging; infrared thermography; veterinary thermal imaging; pain assessment; osteoarthritis; canine back pain; canine brief pain inventory; photobiomodulation therapy; laser therapy
Online: 17 December 2021 (14:32:16 CET)
Historically, the evaluation and assessment of the clinical response to treatment for canine back pain is subjective and relies on owner and clinician assessment of pain. This study evaluated the use of sequential infrared thermal images as a measure of the response of canine patients with back pain to a prescribed series of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) treatments. Qualifying participants had histories of pain and dysfunction associated with spinal osteoarthritis or intervertebral disk disease, or of non-specific uni- or bilateral back pain along the paravertebral epaxial muscles. Each patient was initially thermally imaged prior to PBMT treatment and then received multiple PBMT treatments delivered to the appropriate spinal area on days 1, 2, 3, and 4. Participants were reimaged on day 7. Thermal images provided an objective measure of superficial temperature changes over the area of PBMT treatment of each patient after the PBMT regimen. The temperature correlated with statistically significant changes in Colorado State University Canine Chronic Pain Scale scoring (CPS) and owner assessment using the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI), which includes a Pain Severity Score (PSS) and Pain Interference Score (PIS). The correlation of objective thermal imaging data with more subjective outcome measures suggests thermal imaging may be a valuable additional tool in monitoring therapy outcome.
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints201809.0504.v1
Subject: Medicine And Pharmacology, Veterinary Medicine Keywords: Customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, attitudinal loyalty, behavioral loyalty, relationship between satisfaction and loyalty, communication, trust, commitment, perceived value, value co-creation, veterinarian, veterinary medicine, pet-owner
Online: 26 September 2018 (09:27:13 CEST)
Loyalty is one of the greatest intangible assets that any organization can possess and improving client loyalty is a primary marketing goal that can have a significant financial impact on any business. This quantitative study examined the mediating role of communication on the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty (attitudinal and behavioral) in veterinary clinics, along with the moderating roles of trust, commitment, perceived value, and relational characteristics. Responses collected from 351 pet-owners through social media were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that attitudinal loyalty (AL) has a strong positive relationship with communication at multiple points in a veterinary clinic whereas the relationship with behavioral loyalty was not as clear. Additional findings suggest that AL, which is influenced by trust in the veterinarian, communication from staff members and commitment, has a strong positive relationship with behavioral intentions, increases the number of products and services that a pet-owner consumes at his or her primary veterinary clinic, and attenuates the role of cost in receiving veterinary care. These findings can help veterinary clinic owners and managers in developing and implementing relationship strategies that improve pet-owner loyalty. The article that follows is a synopsis of the author’s dissertation.

domain: medical


text:
11 March 2021
We all had a great morning learning about mental health. We learned what mental health is, how it can change over time and how it has an important role within our lives. We now know what it means to be a mental health champion for ourselves and for each other. This involves five skills and five qualities. We created calm jars, shared good thoughts in a back to back role play and used 'straw breathing' to help send bubbles back to the front of the class, The children loved that! Right at the end, the children loved searching under their seat for a prize! Jessica found a badge under her seat, and everyone cheered!
I liked making the calm jars as it was amazing to see how they actually turned out. I'm going to make one at home! Harry
I enjoyed making the calm jars, the bubbles activity... pretty much everything really as it made me realise that there is a lot going on up there in our minds and how we need to take care of our mental health. Conrad.
I liked making the calm jars as it made me feel calm. Elise
I now know what mental health is and how we should be aware of it. Kara
I learned a lot but I learned to always believe in myself, never give up and stay strong. Ashleigh
I have learned to tell an adult if anyone is getting bullied. Annie-Mae.
Thank you to Elsie from One Goal who came and ran our Mental Health Champions Workshop this morning. Year Five are all mental health champions!
Look out for us spreading the message and being great role models around school. We are really passionate about spreading this message, but we are working on lots of socially distanced ways to do this.
Well done Year Five!
Certificates to follow!

domain: health


MIDLAND, Texas — More people got back to work in 2021. After nearly two years of the pandemic, unemployment rates in the Midland-Odessa area are starting to get closer to pre-pandemic levels.
The Midland unemployment rate for November 2021 sits at 4.5 percent. In Odessa, that number is at 6.3 percent, and both are close to the state average of about 5.2 percent.
This time last year, the unemployment rates in Midland and Odessa were at 8 percent and 11.5 percent respectively.
However, the workforce still isn't as big as it was pre-pandemic. That still remains a work-in-progress. It's something that Willie Taylor, CEO of Workforce Solutions Permian Basin, believes will take more time.
"It’s been a gradual process. It’s a slow process. You know people are not returning to work as quickly as we thought they would, but we’re seeing some consistency. Less people applying for UI benefits, which is a good thing," Taylor said.
There have been a few shifts in the workforce. Companies are having to think outside the box in order to fill open positions.
Companies are looking not just in the Permian Basin for employees but also out of the area such as in El Paso.
As for those who are looking for a job, a lot are looking to make a career change.
"We see people wanting to go into the medical area, in those areas. We see people wanting to go into the automotive welding side of it. So we see those folks are going back to those type of areas where it’s quick training and yielding high wages," Taylor said.
If you're struggling to fill a job or find a job, Taylor said not to worry because he believes that brighter days are ahead.
"I just think everybody needs to be patient. We’re trending in the right direction, and things are looking great for our region. It’s trending down, and I think there’s no doubt that we’re heading in the right direction," Taylor said.


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By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
The government’s North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, totaling 147 kilometers from New Clark City in Tarlac to Calamba in Laguna province, received a major boost with the approval of a $2.75-billion financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the construction of the Malolos-Clark railway segment of the big-ticket project.
The 53.1-kilometer passenger railway project stretching from Malolos to the Clark ecozone down to Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and which includes a 1.9-kilometer extension connecting Solis and Blumentritt in Manila, will cut travel time from Metro Manila to Clark Airport in less than one hour by rail compared to the two-three hour travel by bus or car.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Malolos-Clark railway – which represents ADB’s single largest infrastructure financing ever – can serve up to 342,000 passengers daily traveling from Manila to Clark and will ease the chronic congestion on existing national and local roads in Metro Manila that are along the railway’s route.
The project will support the construction of two sections, totaling 53.1 kilometers (km), of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 163 km suburban railway network connecting the regional center of Clark in Central Luzon with Metro Manila and Calamba, Laguna.
The Malolos-Clark Railway Project comprises: (i) Malolos-Clark section (51.2 km) from Malolos to Clark and Clark International Airport, and (ii) Blumentritt extension (1.9 km) connecting Solis and Blumentritt stations in Metro Manila District I (City of Manila).
Both sections are part of the NSCR and extensions of the Tutuban-Solis-Malolos section financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The NSCR will be completed during 2022-2025 as an integrated 163 km dedicated suburban passenger railway system comprising four sections: (i) Tutuban-Solis-Malolos, (ii) Malolos-Clark-Clark International Airport, (iii) Solis-Blumentritt-Calamba, and (iv) Clark-New Clark City.
Expected for completion by 2025, the entire NSCR project can accommodate up to one million passengers daily once fully operational.
Co-financing the Malolos-Clark Railway Project (MCRP) with up to $2 billion for the rolling stock and the railway systems is the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan said the entire NSCR line aimed to serve 700,000 passengers daily once fully operational.
“The North-South Commuter Railway System, or the combined and interoperable PNR Clark and PNR Calamba Projects, demonstrates the scale of what the DOTr, under the strong leadership of Secretary Tugade, is working triple, if not quadruple, time to deliver. It is indeed a most ambitious project that will usher in the Philippines’ ‘Golden Age of Infrastructure,’ and that will deliver our president’s promise of a more comfortable life to every Filipino,” Batan said.
In a study, JICA reported that as early as 2014, losses to the Philippine economy from road congestion in Metro Manila is estimated at $53.6 million per day.
The DOTr said the MCRP is one of the government’s numerous efforts to promote inclusive growth and improve transport and logistics services to underserved areas in the country.
The MCRP will provide a high standard suburban commuter rail from Malolos to Clark with the line commencing at the city of Malolos, passing through the town of Calumpit in the province of Bulacan; the towns of Apalit, Minalin, and Santo Tomas, and cities of San Fernando and Angeles and Mabalacat until the alignment reaches the Clark International Airport complex, all in Pampanga.
Aside from Pampanga, other areas in Central Luzon that will hugely benefit from the rail project include and Bulacan and cities in Metro Manila particularly Valenzuela, Caloocan and Manila due to enhanced connectivity resulting in lower transportation expenses, more productivity and lesser cost for products and goods. All these will lead to more investments which can accelerate economic growth and expansion while creating more jobs.
Among the industries that are expected to benefit from the construction of the MCRP include the real estate sector, with Central Luzon becoming more attractive to developers as property prices are expected to appreciate as a result. The tourism industry is also expected to receive a boost, with an upsurge in tourist arrivals recorded at 4.1 million in Central Luzon last year.
The government has embarked on an ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program composed of 75 flagship projects with a total required investment of $180 billion. This is also aimed at raising public spending on infrastructure from less than two percent a decade ago to seven percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2022.
The ADB noted that the “Build, Build, Build” program is aligned with the government’s National Spatial Strategy which seeks to “address wide income disparities across the country by connecting regions to markets and attracting more investments, generating jobs and spurring improved regional economic growth in a country that is already one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economies. The strategy aims to decongest Manila and cut poverty by ensuring the benefits of growth reach the marginalized.”

domain: news


text:
Western Heroes of Pulp Fiction: Dime Novel to Pop Culture (2016)
Softcover, 116 pages, 9 x 11 inches, full color illustrations throughout
Foreword by Dr. Robert Knight, CEO, and essay by Christine Brindza, Senior Curator, James and Louise Glasser Curator of Art of the American West. Designed by Melina Lew, with printing by Arizona Lithographers, Tucson, Arizona. Published by the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block.
Published on the occasion of the exhibition by the same name at the Tucson Museum of Art, Oct 24, 2015 - Feb 14, 2016
Examines artistic expressions and the development of myth found in the Western genre in mass media with emphasis on dime novels, pulp magazines, comic books, and modern and contemporary art, as well as film and television.
Artists featured in the exhibition and catalog: Maura Allen, Allen Anderson, James Bama, Walter Baumhofer, Marshal Bravestarr, Gerald Brom, Richard Case, Fred Craft, Gerard Delano, Maynard Dixon, Albert Drake, Bill Draut, W.H. Dunton, Fred Harman, R.G. Harris, Levey, Roy Lichtenstein, Earl Linderman, Danny Martin, Lon Megargee, Stan Natchez, Richard Pettibone, Frederic Remington, Aaron Riley, Thom Ross, George Rozen, Bill Schenck, H. Winfield Scott, John Severin, Jeane Quick-to-See Smith, Paul Stahr, Ben Steele, Jeffrey Veregge, Andy Warhol, Dennis Zienienski.

domain: artistic


By Anayat Durrani
The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 brought with it many changes for the EB-5 industry. One of those changes was adding more transparency measures, which include that New Commercial Enterprises need to retain a third-party fund administrator.
“The goal of these transparency measures is to raise the standard of care for what is required of Regional Centers and Issuers that accept immigrant investment,” says Jill Jones, General Counsel of ICS USA at JTC Americas. “It will help to legitimize the industry and get the focus back on the program doing the good that it was always intended to do.”
Jones says if these new transparency measures are properly implemented, the RIA could reduce or deter incidents of fraud and abuse in the EB-5 program.
“It is too easy for a few bad actors to tarnish the reputation of government programs,” says Jones. “More comprehensive reporting requirements can help weed out those bad actors while allowing Regional Centers who embrace best practices to contribute to the success of the reformed EB-5 program.”
The role of EB-5 fund administrators
Fund administrators are required to perform such tasks as monitoring and verifying fund transfers, preparing financial statements, documenting income and expense allocation, tracking assets, creating reports for investors, performing regulatory administration and compliance support, financial accounting and audit coordination.
“With the passing of this new legislation, we’re seeing a regulator signal that it’s time for EB-5 to get caught up, and, overall, this is certainly a net positive as it boosts investor confidence and will re-enforce the US as one of the top CBI/RBI destinations in the world,” says Bryan Caulkins, founder of Proxy Financial.
An independent fund administrator assumes the role of a liaison between the fund and participants to help EB-5 investors and also to ensure investor interests are safeguarded and adequately processed.
“Not only can these new rules aid regulators in finding and putting a stop to predatory practices, they can also help investors by requiring access to more information about the project, the Regional Center, and how funds are being handled, requiring third party oversight and prohibiting participation in the program by bad actors. The RIA takes great strides in the area of investor protection,” says Jones.
Who can be an EB-5 fund administrator?
Caulkins says the RIA requires a fund administrator to be a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), an attorney, a CPA or a broker-dealer.
“We, Proxy Wealth Advisors, are a licensed RIA and therefore we qualify to perform these services under the statute. In terms of a fund administrator’s duties, our essential role is to oversee the activity and movement of funds to ensure alignment with the fund’s purpose,” says Caulkins.
Jones says JTC provides “a comprehensive suite of offerings including fund accounting, recordkeeping, escrow and co-signatory services.”
Some may wonder if fund administration comes at a hefty cost to projects, but Jones says the costs of complying with the fund administrator requirements “should have minimal impact.”
She says the fund administrator’s role will be to perform tasks that have always been recognized in the industry as best practices. She says these were things that were to some extent already in place that had reasonable and expected costs.
“And for those pieces that are new, like the co-signatory requirement, the cost can be viewed as an opportunity to minimize costly errors and create efficiencies that may end up saving money in the long run,” says Jones.
How to select an EB-5 fund administration service
When it comes to selecting a fund administrator, Caulkins recommends looking for groups that have an established and successful track record, have EB-5 industry expertise and experience and possess the responsiveness and technology solutions along with the ability to streamline the experience for all stakeholders.
“Finding the right fit here is important as you will work with your administrator, and their tools, throughout the life of your project,” says Caulkins.
Jones says not all fund administrators, such as a traditional private equity fund administrator, are familiar with the intricacies of an EB-5 fund or may not be equipped to handle all tasks outlined in the RIA.
“An EB-5 fund administrator may be tasked with knowing the difference between qualifying EB-5 expenditures and other operating outflows, or keeping records on multiple extra accounts in order to prevent the commingling of investor funds with operating funds, or even tracking immigration-related milestones,” says Jones.
She says an EB-5 fund administrator will now take on the role of “co-signing on all disbursements of investor funds from the new commercial enterprise to the project, in some cases even co-signing on the deployment of funds by the project/developer as well.” An entirely different skill set is required, she says, including knowledge of what may be considered proper expenditures under the offering documents and how to track the immigration milestones.
Due to the change, investors will nowhave access to information they previously wouldn’t have had. Jones says under the RIA, Regional Centers must keep financial records and subject themselves to audits, but also “have to make parts of those records available to the investors during the offering and for five years beyond the last transaction.”
She says the transparency requirements also makes Regional Centers have to publish information “about who may have been paid to source the investors and how much those agents/brokers were compensated.”
While the use of fund administrators is a new feature that came about from part of the transparency measures in the EB-5 program, industry stakeholders feel it can make for a smoother and more successful EB-5 program overall.
“This opens the door for better practices, innovation,” says Caulkins. “And revitalized investor sentiment should make for a vibrant market.”
Are you an EB-5 fund administrator? Get verified and listed on eb5investors.com. Apply here
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article are solely the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher, its employees. or its affiliates. The information found on this website is intended to be general information; it is not legal or financial advice. Specific legal or financial advice can only be given by a licensed professional with full knowledge of all the facts and circumstances of your particular situation. You should seek consultation with legal, immigration, and financial experts prior to participating in the EB-5 program Posting a question on this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. All questions you post will be available to the public; do not include confidential information in your question.


It only takes one power outage to remind us how important lighting is to a room. It can dictate your ability to complete certain tasks, set the tone of the room, and even affect your mood.
Lighting has the ability to completely change the look and feel of the entire room. Installing dimmer switches is a great way to change up your existing lighting, and thus change the functionality of the room. However, like anything in your home, if the dimmer switches aren’t functioning properly, it can be annoying or even concerning. Sometimes, homeowners notice that their dimmer switch is buzzing or humming, the lights are flickering, or they aren’t dimming properly. Here are answers to the most common questions about dimmer switches.
Reasons for Dimmer Switch Buzzing
While dimmer switches have amazing benefits, it can be incredibly frustrating when they start to buzz. First, it’s not just in your head… There are a few common reasons this might be occurring. To start, you might be using bulbs that are incompatible with your dimmer switch. Another reason could be that the switch is overloaded, meaning the wattage of the bulbs you’re using is too high. You could also have loose wires which can cause vibrations that manifest as a buzzing-type noise. Finally, like everything else, even your dimmer switch has an expiration date. Buzzing coming from old dimmer switches may simply indicate that your switch is dying out, which can cause it to start emitting noise. No matter the reason, we have a solution for you.
The Problem: The dimmer switch is buzzing or humming.
The Solution: Update your dimmer rating.
When humming or buzzing is coming from the dimmer itself, that may be a sign of an overload. This means that the circuit connected to the dimmer switch is attempting to handle too much power. If there are several bulbs in the fixture, removing some of them is an easy way to troubleshoot and reduce the potential overload. If you remove the bulbs and the buzzing stops, that means that it’s time for an upgrade. Call a local licensed electrician to help you find the proper replacement for this dimmer switch.
The Problem: The light fixture connected to a dimmer switch is buzzing or humming.
The Solution: Change the bulbs.
Most often, buzzing coming from the fixture itself is usually related to the type of lightbulb you’re using. You might just need to replace the existing lightbulbs with new bulbs that have a shorter filament or lower wattage. Also, most older dimmer switches are not rated for use with LED bulbs, so be sure to pair the right bulb with your dimmer switch. CFL bulbs can also cause problems with your dimmer, so if you insist on using CFLs, make sure they’re rated as dimmable and your dimmer switch can pair with them.
The Problem: The dimmer switch is making the lights pop on, cut out, or flicker.
The Solution: Change the bulbs.
Not all bulbs are dimmable, so make sure the ones in your fixture are. Like we mentioned above, not all types of bulbs are compatible with all dimmer switches. For example, some dimmer switches do not work properly when a LED bulb is installed. If your dimmer switch isn’t dimming the lights properly, chances are that the switch and the bulbs just aren’t meant to be friends.
The Problem: The dimmer switch is hot to the touch.
The Solution: Upgrade the dimmer switch.
It can be normal for a dimmer switch to be a little warm when it is on, however if the switch is hot to the touch, it is likely that it is overloaded. There are a couple solutions that could remedy this. First, you could upgrade the dimmer switch. Some dimmer switches are rated to handle 1000-1500 watts. This is usually the simplest solution. Secondly, you could try switching out the bulbs to LEDs or CFLs which us less energy than incandescent. However, if you go this route just remember that not all dimmer switches play well with all types of bulbs, even if the bulbs are dimmable. Lastly, you could rewire the lights. Especially if the dimmer switch controls several fixtures (say, track lighting), splitting up the lights on two different dimmer switches would solve the problem. This solution requires the help of a licensed electrician.
Dimmer switches are a great way to set the ambiance in a room and can be a great tool for saving money on your electricity bill. If you hear buzzing coming from your dimmer switch, it’s best to contact a licensed, bonded, and insured electrician to check it out and make sure you’re not experiencing a more serious electrical issue.
Contact us today to learn more about our residential and commercial services and request your FREE quote!
For over 20 years, Grounded Solutions has been Central Indiana’s trusted electrician. Our team is full of electrical badasses who provide service so good it will shock you! 😉


SOLD - 1942 Nazi Walther P.38 - GI Nickel
Availability: Out of stock
7832k - 15128
4/7/21 - This is Walther P38 issued to the Nazi military in 1942. It is all matching and has the proper "Eagle 359" military proofs. The gun has been completely nickel-plated, likely done by the GI who captured it and brought it home. This was common. The gun has retained about 94% of this nickel-plating. There is wear on the front strap and around some of the high edges. It comes with excellent grips and a nickel-plated Walther magazine. The bore has strong rifling with minor frosting in the grooves. The de-cocker is functional.
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text: Cape Coral Police and Cape Coral Fire Department are on scene of a death investigation in the 200 block of SE 31 St. Preliminary information is that a subject died when a compressed air/gas canister exploded at a residence. Traffic will be diverted in the area for the next few hours while the State Fire Marshall investigates. Bomb squad will assist to make sure the scene is safe. Drivers should seek an alternate route. Detailed news release will be sent later and will be available at www.capecops.com/newsroom.


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Table of Contents
Samay Yaatra – PrimePlay App Web Series
Primeplay App is well known for its original web series and 18+ content as usual. Prime Play constantly puts the viewing habits of the audience first. Primeplay recently unveiled the trailer for the new online series Romance, Fantasy & Drama. Family-drama and romance web series are one genre that the Indian public is expected to show a lot of interest in. We’re going to discuss the Primeplay App web series today because it will soon generate quite a stir on the digital OTT platform.
Samay Yaatra – Web Series Overview
The Samay Yatra web series’ plot is extremely convoluted and loaded with moral corruption. where the connections between people are made. The little brother and sister who are at the centre of the story’s opening are portrayed having a bond that defies all expectations. This is a wholly made-up tale that illustrates relationships in the context of contemporary philosophy, in which a person can pursue their pleasure in any way.
Although Indian society is not like this, anything can be displayed to an audience for entertainment purposes. We anticipate that this type of story will appeal to young people. On April 14, 2023, we will all have to wait breathlessly to find out what will happen.
Samay Yaatra – Web series Crew Members
Romance, family drama, and the highly anticipated web series “Samay Yaatra” The entire Primeplay team should be commended for their tireless efforts on the web series Samay Yaatra, which keeps shocking the OTT platform with new concepts, hypotheses, and ridiculous rubbish.
This web series explores day-dreaming, fantasy, a peculiar craving for sexual demands, and frustration with not being able to have wishes. The publication’s language will be Hindi,Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bhojpuri. The whole cast’s details, including the genre, co-producer, director, editor, colorist, creative director, and release date, will be provided to you.
|Genre||Family-Drama, Fantasy, and Erotic|
|Language||Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bhojpuri|
|Release Date||14 April 2023|
|Streaming On||Primeplay App|
|Directed By||Update Soon|
|Director of Photography||Update Soon|
|Creative Director||Update Soon|
Samay Yaatra – Web series Cast Real Name and Their Roles
The cast of the web series Samay Yaatra includes a well-known, seductive, and powerful actress as well as actors who are renowned for their memorable performances and touching sequences. It is an alluring online series with drama and romance. Aishwarya Agarwal and Khushi Mukherjee are the leading ladies. There may also be opportunities for supporting roles.
|Name (Actors & Actresses)||Role|
Samay Yaatra – Web Series Trailer
If your web series has a strong trailer, people will be more interested and will talk about it. This is essential for recently released shows or ones with a limited fan following. Following the viewing of the trailer, viewers ought to have a sense of eagerness for the next release. On April 5, 2023, Primeplay App published the “Samay Yaatra” web series trailer to its YouTube channel.
An effective method for capturing spectators’ attention right away is a caravan. It should draw attention to the best aspects of your program, including its unique selling points, story, cast, and tone. You have a chance to set yourself apart from the competition by leaving a good first impression.
Samay Yaatra – Web Series Release Date
Web series have gained popularity in the age of digital media. Web series are quickly replacing traditional TV shows as a popular new form of entertainment for consumers thanks to the success of OTT services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar.
When a web series debuts is the most significant event. The release dates for web series are covered in detail in this guide. On April 14, 2023, only the Primeplay Application will host the Samay Yaatra online television series debut.
How to watch Samay Yaatra web series full episodes online?
It will be broadcast on the Primeplay App, an OTT service. Download the “Primeplay App” from the Play Store or App Store on your smartphone to watch the riveting, dramatic, and suspenseful web series “Samay Yaatra.” You must carry out these actions.
- In the Primeplay App, you must first log in or create a premium account.
- Then you have the right to easily watch this series on this App.

domain: entertainment


Curtis Road Peyton, CO 80831
Approximately 825 acres in Falcon with water rights 294 annual acre feet of water on the corner of Judge Orr and Curtis Rd. The board of county commissioners unanimously passed the re-zoning from agricultural to residential 2.5 acres lots. Final plat map was submitted in April and is currently being reviewed. 2 existing commercial wells pump 350 GPM and have been certified to service the community. Legal work has begun for a water/metro district and an infrastructure bond which will be on the November 2019 ballot. Planning and engineering documents are available upon request. Preliminary grading has already been approved by the county. The plan currently calls for 229 two and a half acre lots to be developed in 5 phases. The RR-2.5 zoning allows for residential and some commercial uses, please refer to the El Paso County Land Development code for reference.
|2 months ago||Listing updated with changes from the MLS|
|2 months ago||Price changed to $9,500,000|
|3 months ago||Listing first seen online|
Listing Provided Courtesy Of: RE/MAX Real Estate Group LLC
The real estate listing information and related content displayed on this site is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. This information and related content is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the Pikes Peak REALTOR Services Corp.


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Corey Kluber was masterful as the Cleveland Indians took Game 1 of the World Series. Recent history shows this is very bad news for the Chicago Cubs.
Over the past three decades, almost every team that lost Game 1 of the World Series found it had just dug itself a canyon it couldn’t climb out of. It’s tough to comprehend, but Game 1 losers have lost the past six World Series. And 12 of the past 13. And 17 of the past 19. Not to mention 19 of the past 22 and 24 of the past 28. Going all the way back to 1997, the only two teams to lose Game 1 and survive were the 2009 Yankees and the 2002 Angels. Hard to believe in a best-of-seven series, but 100 percent true.
On the surface, those numbers paint a bleak picture for fans lusting after their first World Series since the Teddy Roosevelt administration. But if one digs a little deeper, there’s reason for hope.
Assuming both teams are equal, the team winning Game 1 would win the World Series 66 percent of the time. It’s important to set that baseline. If the loser of Game 1 was coming back to win the series more than a third of the time, that would be noteworthy as well, and perhaps reflective of a statistical oddity.
Yes, the fact that 86 percent of teams are converting after taking the series opener over the past 28 years is eye-opening. But if the trend is extended two years into the past, it now includes the 1986 Mets and 1985 Royals, both of whom came back to win it all after dropping Game 1. This moves the figure to 80 percent over the past 30 years, which is much closer to the 66 percent one you’d expect.
Here is the full list of World Series winners to drop Game 1 during the last three decades:
- 2009 New York Yankees
- 2002 Anaheim Angels
- 1996 New York Yankees
- 1992 Toronto Blue Jays
- 1986 New York Mets
- 1985 Kansas City Royals
What’s interesting is the amount of teams that have rebounded to force a Game 7 before falling short:
- 2014 Kansas City Royals
- 2011 Texas Rangers
- 2001 New York Yankees
- 1997 Cleveland Indians
- 1991 Atlanta Braves
- 1987 St. Louis Cardinals
Teams fighting back from a 0-1 hole are 3-6 in winner-take-all games during this span. Some of this could be due to facing a true ace in Games 1, 4 and 7. Some of it could be that these squads have had to fire all their best bullets and don’t have all their weapons in the biggest fight. Some could be pure coincidence.
One could look at the data and say the Cubs are facing long odds to win the World Series. Or one could massage it a bit before putting it through the spin zone and coming up with this:
Teams down 0-1 in the Fall Classic have either come back to win or, at the very least, force seven games 40 percent of the time since 1985. That paints a much sunnier picture, especially considering Jon Lester vs. Corey Kluber was a toss-up, odds-wise on Tuesday evening.
Of course, none of this will matter if the Cubs bats don’t wake up — and quickly. An 0-2 hole requires significantly more dirt than an 0-1 pit, although it should be noted the ’85 Royals, ’86 Mets and ’96 Yankees all rebounded from that dire circumstance.


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WINNER OF THE WOLFSON PRIZE 2013
HERALD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2014
The extraordinary story of the Kremlin – from prize-winning author and historian Catherine Merridale
Both beautiful and profoundly menacing, the Kremlin has dominated Moscow for many centuries. Behind its great red walls and towers many of the most startling events in Russia’s history have been acted out. It is both a real place and an imaginative idea; a shorthand for a certain kind of secretive power, but also the heart of a specific Russian authenticity. Catherine Merridale’s exceptional book revels in both the drama of the Kremlin and its sheer unexpectedness: an impregnable fortress which has repeatedly been devastated, a symbol of all that is Russian substantially created by Italians. The many inhabitants of the Kremlin have continually reshaped it to accord with shifting ideological needs, with buildings conjured up or demolished to conform with the current ruler’s social, spiritual, military or regal priorities. In the process, all have claimed to be the heirs of Russia’s great historic destiny.

domain: library


SOUTH BEND -- Quitting was never Dave Dunlap's style. A guy doesn't build a high school swimming program into one of the area's prep dynasties by cashing in the chips at the first glimpse of adversity. Quietly, without a lot of fanfare or loud echoes in the pool, he got his point across to his swimmers -- don't back down when the times are tough. Three boys state titles and seven state runner-up finishes for Jackson and Riley high schools, in a career that spanned three decades, gave Dunlap the credentials he needed to be considered a legend when he retired several years ago. The legacy had been established. Nothing further was needed for validation. But when the need for a girls coach at Riley this season was brought to Dunlap, he answered. He brought focus to a program that struggled and guided the Wildcats to a 10-1 record and a South Bend City Meet championship. That changed earlier this week. An apparent internal falling-out at Riley, reportedly centered around personality issues, caused the sort of tension that Dunlap disdained -- so he removed himself from the situation. "Dave turned in his resignation," Riley athletic director John Berta said. "He's taken a leave of absence." Two weeks before the sectional? "He's not a quitter," said Nancy Cavadini, the mother of seven children who have been Riley swimmers. Two are on the girls team now. "What makes somebody do something that is completely different from his personality?" Dunlap's not about to explain -- at least in public. Being the private guy that he is, phone calls were not returned. Anybody who knows Dunlap isn't surprised. He's not the story, though. He's not the victim. It's the girls. Since preseason land training began, these girls have put their complete faith and trust in a legend. The payback has been a marvelous season with hope for even more success in the state tournament series. Instead, they've been challenged to adjust at the most critical time of the season. Steve Smith, an accomplished triathlete who is a teacher at Riley and a former swim coach, will finish out the year. "It's sad; devastating for the girls," said Barbara Brugh, whose daughter Natalie is a senior captain. "Coach Dunlap has a lot of integrity and pride, but I wonder how he could drop the ball that way. I mean, two weeks until the sectional..." "Coach Dunlap said he felt he was doing what was best for the swim team," said Mary Cavadini, the Wildcats' other senior captain. "He felt his presence on the deck was causing the situation to worsen, so he left." "It's a bad thing, but it could either make us or break us," said Natalie Brugh. "It's not going to break us. We just have to get over it and move on. Today's a new day. Tomorrow will be a new day. Our focus has to be completely on the next two weeks of practice." Not on a bunch of adults who might be spoiling a season.


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Image by kygp via FlickrI didn't tell anyone when my dad was first diagnosed with cancer. I didn't want sympathy or even empathy, I just didn't want to acknowledge it altogether. As if saying it out loud would make it real. I was already fighting a raging battle inside of me from all of the fear and grief. I didn't want people asking me about him, how he was doing. I didn't want to be reminded or talk about it. I wanted it to go away, I wanted it to just be a bad dream. My refusal to acknowledge the situation led me to isolation, depression and despair. I wasn't willing to let anybody in so therefore I wasn't letting anything out. I kept it all inside and it took the best of me. I stayed in that deep dark place.
I spend the next two years of my life like this, what made it worse it that I had just had my son and because of my hormones and emotional stress I had full blown postpartum depression. It took all I had just to care for my newborn. I literally would throw myself out of bed and made myself get up and out.
It was a horrible life to live, not just for me but for this little person that I was responsible for. I just hope he never remembers. I don't want to remember me like that. Now it seems like such a long time ago.
But this was all before I knew God. This was all before I knew about His power. When we don't let God in, it becomes a long, lonely road. A deep, dark place, a road filled with grief and despair. Although God doesn't take away the pain, He gives us the strength to endure it. He can take us out of that deep, dark place, and show us how to live again.
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Psalm 34:18 (NIV)18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

domain: literature


Users can be added to the system using the command line (as shown earlier in the chapter) or using a GUI tool. Red Hat version 8.0 provides the Red Hat User Manager (to open it using KDE, select the KDE menu, System Settings, then Users and Groups). Figure 10.7 shows the Red Hat User Manager.
Figure 10.7. The Red Hat User Manager can be used to manage users and groups on the Red Hat system.
Users that you added to the system during the installation process will be listed in the Red Hat User Manager (as shown in Figure 10.7). To add a new user, click the Add User button on the User Manager toolbar. The Create New User box will open (see Figure 10.8). You must supply the user name and password. You can also supply the home directory for the user if you wish to select a directory other than the default (home).
Figure 10.8. Supply the user name and password for the new user.
After supplying the information for the user, select the OK button. You will be returned to the User Manager and the new user account will be added to the user list.
As with other operating systems, group membership can be used to provide different permission levels to a user in reference to a particular file or service on the system. For more about users and group membership in relation to system security, see Chapter 20.
Red Hat Linux does supply Standard Groups (groups created on the system by the installation program). These groups can be used to provide administrative abilities to users. There are standard groups such as sys and adm, and groups for particular services such as apache (the Apache Web server). In most cases you will not want to add regular users to these groups because it greatly extends their abilities to create mischief on the system. For example, including a regular user in the adm group will provide the user with administrative privileges over the system not typically afforded to any account other than the root account.
You can create groups using the Red Hat User Manager. Click the Add Group button in the User Manager and then supply the name of the new group. Click OK to create the new group. Once the group has been created, you can add users to the group. The most straightforward way to add users to the group is the following:
You will be returned to the User Manager. When you have finished working the User Manager, you can close it by clicking the Close button.


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10 x12 Elite A-Frame Nav. White E.Tone Ceader Clay trim Transom windows in door Brown door
Do you need a shed fast? We often have sheds for sale that are in stock and ready for delivery. .
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I had to add to the list one of my favorite shed plans, both in design and size. This 10×14 garden storage shed brings on the table double doors to the front wall, a side door and a side window. The roof has a gable shape. You can use this for garden tools or even as a small hobby workshop. I have full plans with complete cut & shopping lists on my blog. MORE >>
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If firewood is the primary source of heat during the cold months, you will want to position your woodshed near your house.
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On average, the labor costs of building a shed average around $70 an hour, or around half the total cost to build a custom shed - $3,000 for a 10’ x 12’ wooden shed. For a kit, expect to pay a fee of $100 to $500, depending on how complex it is to assemble. When contracting with a shed building company, they supply all the materials and labor and, in many instances, build all or most of the shed off-site, then deliver it to your property for finishing.
This large shed measures 224 square foot, making it a great choice for adding extra space to hold a snow blower and lawn furniture.
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Dozens of Amish shed builders and sellers can be found throughout this heavily-Amish state. Outside of the Lancaster County area, Amish shed retailers can be found in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other major PA cities. Find an Amish shed outlet here: Amish Sheds – Pennsylvania
A picture is worth a thousand words…or more. So just so you can see how fancy a wooden storage shed can look, compare the difference in the following wooden sheds from Sheds Unlimited. Note that all of these come from our A-frame or workshop series but just get fancier as you go on.
You should also check my plans for building a large 8×16 firewood shed that can hold up to 6 cords. This is a super simple structure with a lean to roof, but this is exactly what you need if you want to get the job done yourself and keep the costs down. MORE >>

domain: design