Publications

imprinting on prey odours in ferrets (mustela putorius f. furo l. ) and its neural correlates.	the effect of different feeding conditions during ontogeny was investigated in the carnivorous ferret. behavioral tests and cardiac responses towards known and unknown odours as well as food choice tests showed that in this species olfaction plays an important role for prey recognition. yet, the knowledge of the prey odours has to be learned during a sensitive phase which was found to exist between postnatal days 60 and 90. in adult ferrets, searching for prey can be elicited reliably by familia ...	1986	24924694
response of mice and ferrets to a monovalent influenza a (h7n9) split vaccine.	in early spring 2013, the emergence of the influenza a (h7n9) virus in humans in eastern china raised concerns of a new influenza pandemic. development of a safe and effective h7n9 influenza vaccine is urgently needed. to this end, we first synthesized the hemagglutinin (ha) and neuraminidase (na) genes of the influenza a (h7n9) virus a/anhui/1/2013. using reverse genetics, we rescued a reassortant virus (h7n9/pr8) that contained the ha and na genes from wild-type h7n9 and six genes encoding int ...	2014	24937303
anaesthetic effects in the ferret of alfaxalone alone and in combination with medetomidine or tramadol: a pilot study.	alfaxalone is a neurosteroid with anaesthetic effects and it has been used successfully in several animal species. however, there are no data, to our knowledge, about its efficacy and safety in ferrets (mustela putorius furo). we evaluated a variety of anaesthetic regimens in ferrets, namely, alfaxalone at 20, 10 and 5 mg/kg (n = 1, 10 and 9, respectively; intravenously); medetomidine at 20 µg/kg (n = 3; intramuscularly); medetomidine (20 µg/kg, intramuscularly) plus alfaxalone (2.5 mg/kg, intra ...	2014	24939905
the cholinergic basal forebrain in the ferret and its inputs to the auditory cortex.	cholinergic inputs to the auditory cortex can modulate sensory processing and regulate stimulus-specific plasticity according to the behavioural state of the subject. in order to understand how acetylcholine achieves this, it is essential to elucidate the circuitry by which cholinergic inputs influence the cortex. in this study, we described the distribution of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain and their inputs to the auditory cortex of the ferret, a species used increasingly in studies ...	2014	24945075
control of reproduction in ferrets, rabbits and rodents.	reproduction control of small mammals is challenging. the purposes are the control of fertility and the reduction of sexual behaviour, aggressiveness and odour. moreover, some species like ferret females need to be neutered to prevent bone marrow suppression caused by hyperoestrogenism. many methods of sterilization have been reported, including surgical and chemical techniques. this article describes the reproductive physiology of ferrets and the techniques used to control their reproduction. s ...	2014	24947865
a single dose of whole inactivated h7n9 influenza vaccine confers protection from severe disease but not infection in ferrets.	the h7n9 influenza virus caused significant mortality and morbidity in infected humans during an outbreak in china in 2013 stimulating vaccine development efforts. as previous h7-based vaccines have been poorly immunogenic in humans we sought to determine the immunogenic and protective properties of an inactivated whole virus vaccine derived from a 2013 h7n9 virus in ferrets. as whole virus vaccine preparations have been shown to be more immunogenic in humans, but less likely to be used, than sp ...	2014	24950355
the r292k mutation that confers resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors leads to competitive fitness loss of a/shanghai/1/2013 (h7n9) influenza virus in ferrets.	neuraminidase (na) inhibitors are the only licensed therapeutic option for human zoonotic h7n9 infections. an na-r292k mutation that confers broad-spectrum resistance to na inhibitors has been documented in h7n9 patients after treatment.	2014	24951824
prepuce and partial penile amputation for treatment of preputial gland neoplasia in two ferrets.	preputial tumours in ferrets are frequently malignant and therefore warrant prompt investigation. as many cases do not respond favourably to surgery, even in combination with radiation therapy, wide surgical resection has been recommended. such a procedure may necessitate partial or total penile resection but outcomes have thus far not been well described. the current case series describes two ferrets in which surgical resection, including penile amputation, was performed using 10 and 5 mm margi ...	2014	24962052
ferrets as sentinels of the presence of pathogenic cryptococcus species in the mediterranean environment.	cryptococcus gattii is a pathogenic environmental yeast that is considered to be emerging in different areas of the world including the mediterranean basin. exposure to infection might be more likely in animals than in human beings, given their closer relationship with the natural habitat of the yeast, vegetation and soil. thus, animals, and especially pets, can act as indicators of the presence of this yeast in a determined area. domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo) have become common pets ...	2014	24962111
histone-modifying genes as biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma.	hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) is the world's fifth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in taiwan. over 600,000 hcc patients die each year worldwide despite recent advances in surgical techniques and medical treatments. epigenetic regulations including dna methylation and histone modification control gene expressions and play important roles during tumorigenesis. this study evaluates association between histone-modifying genes and prognosis of hcc to ferret out ne ...	2014	24966962
influenza vaccination accelerates recovery of ferrets from lymphopenia.	ferrets are a useful animal model for human influenza virus infections, since they closely mimic the pathogenesis of influenza viruses observed in humans. however, a lack of reagents, especially for flow cytometry of immune cell subsets, has limited research in this model. here we use a panel of primarily species cross-reactive antibodies to identify ferret t cells, cytotoxic t lymphocytes (ctl), b cells, and granulocytes in peripheral blood. following infection with seasonal h3n2 or h1n1pdm09 i ...	2014	24968319
performance characteristics of qualified cell lines for isolation and propagation of influenza viruses for vaccine manufacturing.	cell culture is now available as a method for the production of influenza vaccines in addition to eggs. in accordance with currently accepted practice, viruses recommended as candidates for vaccine manufacture are isolated and propagated exclusively in hens' eggs prior to distribution to manufacturers. candidate vaccine viruses isolated in cell culture are not available to support vaccine manufacturing in mammalian cell bioreactors so egg-derived viruses have to be used. recently influenza a (h3 ...	2014	24975811
h3n2 canine influenza virus with the matrix gene from the pandemic a/h1n1 virus: infection dynamics in dogs and ferrets.	after an outbreak of pandemic influenza a/h1n1 (ph1n1) virus, we had previously reported the emergence of a recombinant canine influenza virus (civ) between the ph1n1 virus and the classic h3n2 civ. our ongoing routine surveillance isolated another reassortant h3n2 civ carrying the matrix gene of the ph1n1 virus from 2012. the infection dynamics of this h3n2 civ variant (civ/h3n2mv) were investigated in dogs and ferrets via experimental infection and transmission. the civ/h3n2mv-infected dogs an ...	2015	24977303
focal thoracolumbar spinal cord lymphosarcoma in a ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 6-year-old, castrated male domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) was euthanized following progressive hind limb paresis and atonia of the bladder of 1-year duration. neurological evaluation localized the lesion to the thoracolumbar spinal region, and magnetic resonance imaging showed a focal intramedullary spinal cord lesion. histopathology revealed an extensive, unencapsulated, poorly demarcated mass within the thoracolumbar spinal cord, diagnosed as lymphosarcoma.	2014	24982519
molecular investigations of the brain of higher mammals using gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets.	the brains of mammals such as carnivores and primates contain developed structures not found in the brains of mice. uncovering the physiological importance, developmental mechanisms and evolution of these structures using carnivores and primates would greatly contribute to our understanding of the human brain and its diseases. although the anatomical and physiological properties of the brains of carnivores and primates have been intensively examined, molecular investigations are still limited. r ...	2014	24983876
tnap activity is localized at critical sites of retinal neurotransmission across various vertebrate species.	evidence is emerging with regard to the role of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (tnap) in neural functions. as an ectophosphatase, this enzyme might influence neural activity and synaptic transmission in diverse ways. the localization of the enzyme in known neural circuits, such as the retina, might significantly advance an understanding of its role in normal and pathological functioning. however, the presence of tnap in the retina is scarcely investigated. our multispecies comparative ...	2014	24988913
consensus proposals for classification of the family hepeviridae.	the family hepeviridae consists of positive-stranded rna viruses that infect a wide range of mammalian species, as well as chickens and trout. a subset of these viruses infects humans and can cause a self-limiting acute hepatitis that may become chronic in immunosuppressed individuals. current published descriptions of the taxonomical divisions within the family hepeviridae are contradictory in relation to the assignment of species and genotypes. through analysis of existing sequence information ...	2014	24989172
pathogenic influenza b virus in the ferret model establishes lower respiratory tract infection.	influenza b viruses have become increasingly more prominent during influenza seasons. influenza b infection is typically considered a mild disease and receives less attention than influenza a, but has been causing 20 to 50 % of the total influenza incidence in several regions around the world. although there is increasing evidence of mid to lower respiratory tract diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia in influenza b patients, little is known about the pathogenesis of recent influenza b virus ...	2014	24989173
the phase response of the cortical slow oscillation.	cortical slow oscillations occur in the mammalian brain during deep sleep and have been shown to contribute to memory consolidation, an effect that can be enhanced by electrical stimulation. as the precise underlying working mechanisms are not known it is desired to develop and analyze computational models of slow oscillations and to study the response to electrical stimuli. in this paper we employ the conductance based model of compte et al. (j neurophysiol 89:2707-2725, 2003) to study the effe ...	2012	24995052
mammalian models for the study of h7 virus pathogenesis and transmission.	mammalian models, most notably the mouse and ferret, have been instrumental in the assessment of avian influenza virus pathogenicity and transmissibility, and have been used widely to characterize the molecular determinants that confer h5n1 virulence in mammals. however, while h7 influenza viruses have typically been associated with conjunctivitis and/or mild respiratory disease in humans, severe disease and death is also possible, as underscored by the recent emergence of h7n9 viruses in china. ...	2014	24996862
transmission in the guinea pig model.	the ability of an influenza virus to transmit efficiently from human-to-human is a major factor in determining the epidemiological impact of that strain. the use of a relevant animal model to identify viral determinants of transmission, as well as host and environmental factors affecting transmission efficiency, is therefore critical for public health. the characterization of newly emerging influenza viruses in terms of their potential to transmit in a mammalian host is furthermore an important ...	2014	25001209
an alternative to surgical desexing in ferrets.		2014	25034682
enhancement of influenza virus transmission by gene reassortment.	influenza a virus is characterized by a genome composed of eight single-stranded, negative sense rna segments, which allow for reassortment between different strains when they co-infect the same host cell. reassortment is an important driving force for the evolution of influenza viruses. the ability of reassortment allows influenza virus to endlessly reinvent itself and pose a constant threat to the health of humans and other animals. of the four human influenza pandemics since the beginning of ...	2014	25048543
hepeviridae: an expanding family of vertebrate viruses.	the hepatitis e virus (hev) was first identified in 1990, although hepatitis e-like diseases in humans have been recorded for a long time dating back to the 18th century. the hev genotypes 1-4 have been subsequently detected in human hepatitis e cases with different geographical distribution and different modes of transmission. genotypes 3 and 4 have been identified in parallel in pigs, wild boars and other animal species and their zoonotic potential has been confirmed. until 2010, these genotyp ...	2014	25050488
development and pre-clinical evaluation of two laiv strains against potentially pandemic h2n2 influenza virus.	h2n2 influenza a caused the asian flu pandemic in 1957, circulated for more than 10 years and disappeared from the human population after 1968. given that people born after 1968 are naïve to h2n2, that the virus still circulates in wild birds and that this influenza subtype has a proven pandemic track record, h2n2 is regarded as a potential pandemic threat. to prepare for an h2n2 pandemic, here we developed and tested in mice and ferrets two live attenuated influenza vaccines based on the haemag ...	2014	25058039
chimeric antibodies with extended half-life in ferrets.	ferrets have long been used as a disease model for the study of influenza vaccines, but a more recent use has been for the study of human monoclonal antibodies directed against influenza viruses. published data suggest that human antibodies are cleared unusually quickly from the ferret and that immune responses may be partially responsible. this immunogenicity increases variability within groups and may present an obstacle to long-term studies.	2014	25074755
suspected primary hypoparathyroidism in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 4-year-old castrated male domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) was examined because of a 3-week history of intermittent seizures, signs of depression, hypocalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia.	2014	25075826
effect of receptor binding specificity on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of influenza virus a h1 vaccines.	the biological basis for the poor immunogenicity of unadjuvanted avian influenza a virus vaccines in mammals is not well understood. here, we mutated the hemagglutinin (ha) of two h1n1 virus vaccines to determine whether virus receptor binding specificity contributes to the low immunogenicity of avian influenza virus vaccines. mutations were introduced into the ha of an avian influenza virus, a/duck/new york/15024-21/96 (dk/96) which switched the binding preference from α2,3- to α2,6-linked sial ...	2014	25078114
impaired heterologous immunity in aged ferrets during sequential influenza a h1n1 infection.	the major burden of influenza morbidity resides within the elderly population. the challenge managing influenza-associated illness in the elderly is the decline of immune function, where mechanisms leading to immunological senescence have not been elucidated. to better represent the immune environment, we investigated clinical morbidity and immune function during sequential homologous and heterologous h1n1 influenza infection in an aged ferret model. our findings demonstrated experimentally that ...	2014	25086242
the black-footed ferret: on the brink of recovery?	in an attempt to save the species from extinction, the last remaining 18 black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) were trapped up from the wild to initiate a captive breeding program. nearly 30 years later more than 8,000 black-footed ferrets have been produced in captivity and approximately 4,100 animals have been reintroduced into 20 sites in eight us states (arizona, new mexico, utah, colorado, kansas, wyoming, south dakota and montana), mexico and canada. however, full recovery of the species ...	2014	25091909
reproduction and advances in reproductive studies in carnivores.	reproductive mechanisms are extraordinarily diverse among species, even within the same phylogenetic clade. due to this, it has been difficult to directly apply reproductive technologies developed in human and livestock to genetically manage ex situ wildlife, including carnivores. to date, more common, closely related species, e.g., domestic cats, dogs and ferrets have served as valuable models for developing reproductive technologies for managing rare, endangered carnivores. artificial insemina ...	2014	25091912
envelope enhancement increases cortical sensitivity to interaural envelope delays with acoustic and electric hearing.	evidence from human psychophysical and animal electrophysiological studies suggests that sensitivity to interaural time delay (itd) in the modulating envelope of a high-frequency carrier can be enhanced using half-wave rectified stimuli. recent evidence has shown potential benefits of equivalent electrical stimuli to deaf individuals with bilateral cochlear implants (cis). in the current study we assessed the effects of envelope shape on itd sensitivity in the primary auditory cortex of normal-h ...	2014	25093417
influenza a virus acquires enhanced pathogenicity and transmissibility after serial passages in swine.	genetic and phylogenetic analyses suggest that the pandemic h1n1/2009 virus was derived from well-established swine influenza lineages; however, there is no convincing evidence that the pandemic virus was generated from a direct precursor in pigs. furthermore, the evolutionary dynamics of influenza virus in pigs have not been well documented. here, we subjected a recombinant virus (rh1n1) with the same constellation makeup as the pandemic h1n1/2009 virus to nine serial passages in pigs. the seve ...	2014	25100840
development and matching of binocular orientation preference in mouse v1.	eye-specific thalamic inputs converge in the primary visual cortex (v1) and form the basis of binocular vision. for normal binocular perceptions, such as depth and stereopsis, binocularly matched orientation preference between the two eyes is required. a critical period of binocular matching of orientation preference in mice during normal development is reported in literature. using a reaction diffusion model we present the development of rf and orientation selectivity in mouse v1 and investigat ...	2014	25104927
molecular detection and characterization of human gyroviruses identified in the ferret fecal virome.	the recently described novel gyroviruses may infect chickens and/or humans; however, their pathogenic potential is unknown. in our metagenomic investigation, we detected many of the novel gyroviruses in the fecal viromes of ferrets with lymph node and organ enlargement. the complete genomic sequences of selected gyrovirus strains showed 90.7-99.4 % similarity to homologous reference gyrovirus strains. this study did not demonstrate an association between gyrovirus shedding from ferrets and the o ...	2014	25119678
the temperature-sensitive and attenuation phenotypes conferred by mutations in the influenza virus pb2, pb1, and np genes are influenced by the species of origin of the pb2 gene in reassortant viruses derived from influenza a/california/07/2009 and a/wsn/33 viruses.	live attenuated influenza vaccines in the united states are derived from a human virus that is temperature sensitive (ts), characterized by restricted (≥ 100-fold) replication at 39 °c. the ts genetic signature (ts sig) has been mapped to 5 loci in 3 genes: pb1 (391 e, 581 g, and 661 t), pb2 (265 s), and np (34 g). however, when transferred into avian and swine influenza viruses, only partial ts and attenuation phenotypes occur. to investigate the reason for this, we introduced the ts sig into t ...	2014	25122786
multisensory training improves auditory spatial processing following bilateral cochlear implantation.	cochlear implants (cis) partially restore hearing to the deaf by directly stimulating the inner ear. in individuals fitted with cis, lack of auditory experience due to loss of hearing before language acquisition can adversely impact outcomes. for example, adults with early-onset hearing loss generally do not integrate inputs from both ears effectively when fitted with bilateral cis (bicis). here, we used an animal model to investigate the effects of long-term deafness on auditory localization wi ...	2014	25122908
congenital abnormalities of the vertebral column in ferrets.	vertebral column pathologies requiring surgical intervention have been described in pet ferrets, however little information is available on the normal vertebral formula and congenital variants in this species. the purpose of this retrospective study was to describe vertebral formulas and prevalence of congenital vertebral anomalies in a sample of pet ferrets. radiographs of 172 pet ferrets (96 males and 76 females) were included in this retrospective study. in 143 ferrets (83.14%), five differen ...	2015	25124147
characterization of drug-resistant influenza a(h7n9) variants isolated from an oseltamivir-treated patient in taiwan.	patients contracting influenza a(h7n9) infection often developed severe disease causing respiratory failure. neuraminidase (na) inhibitors (nais) are the primary option for treatment, but information on drug-resistance markers for influenza a(h7n9) is limited.	2015	25124927
glycomic characterization of respiratory tract tissues of ferrets: implications for its use in influenza virus infection studies.	the initial recognition between influenza virus and the host cell is mediated by interactions between the viral surface protein hemagglutinin and sialic acid-terminated glycoconjugates on the host cell surface. the sialic acid residues can be linked to the adjacent monosaccharide by α2-3- or α2-6-type glycosidic bonds. it is this linkage difference that primarily defines the species barrier of the influenza virus infection with α2-3 binding being associated with avian influenza viruses and α2-6 ...	2014	25135641
changes in complex spike activity during classical conditioning.	the cerebellar cortex is necessary for adaptively timed conditioned responses (crs) in eyeblink conditioning. during conditioning, purkinje cells acquire pause responses or "purkinje cell crs" to the conditioned stimuli (cs), resulting in disinhibition of the cerebellar nuclei (cn), allowing them to activate motor nuclei that control eyeblinks. this disinhibition also causes inhibition of the inferior olive (io), via the nucleo-olivary pathway (n-o). activation of the io, which relays the uncond ...	2014	25140129
activity dependent mechanisms of visual map formation--from retinal waves to molecular regulators.	the refinement of neural connections requires activity-dependent mechanisms in addition to the genetic program initially establishing wiring diagrams. the well-understood organization of the visual system makes it an accessible model for analyzing the contribution of activity in the formation of connectivity. prior to visual experience, patterned spontaneous activity in the form of retinal waves has an important role for the establishment of eye-specific and retinotopic maps by acting on the ref ...	2014	25152335
ferret nutrition.	the domestic ferret (mustela putorious furo) is a strict carnivore, also referred to as an obligate carnivore. its dentition and gastrointestinal tract are adapted to a carnivorous diet. its ancestor, the european polecat (mustela putorius), feeds on birds and other small vertebrates. domesticated ferrets have been fed mink feeds, cat foods, and now mostly subsist on commercial ferret diets formulated specifically to meet their needs.	2014	25155665
heterogeneous pathological outcomes after experimental ph1n1 influenza infection in ferrets correlate with viral replication and host immune responses in the lung.	the swine-origin pandemic (p) h1n1 influenza a virus causes mild upper-respiratory tract disease in most human patients. however, some patients developed severe lower-respiratory tract infections with fatal consequences, and the cause of these infections remain unknown. recently, it has been suggested that different populations have different degrees of susceptibility to ph1n1 strains due to host genetic variations that are associated with inappropriate immune responses against viral genetic cha ...	2014	25163545
gall bladder rupture associated with cholecystitis in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius).	a six-year-old neutered female albino ferret was presented with an acute episode of lethargy and anorexia. clinical examination revealed marked cranial abdominal pain. a severe neutrophilic leukocytosis was present. abdominal ultrasound was consistent with a diffuse peritonitis and severe bile duct inflammation. cytology of the abdominal effusion revealed bile peritonitis. an exploratory laparotomy was performed and the gall bladder appeared inflamed with multiple perforations. a cholecystectomy ...	2014	25168742
adjuvanted inactivated influenza a(h3n2) vaccines induce stronger immunogenicity in mice and confer higher protection in ferrets than unadjuvanted inactivated vaccines.	influenza viruses are major respiratory pathogens and the development of improved vaccines to prevent these infections is of high priority. here, we evaluated split inactivated a(h3n2) vaccines (a/uruguay/716/2007) combined or not with adjuvants (as03, as25 and protollin) and administered by three different routes, intramuscular (i.m.), intranasal (i.n.) or intradermal (i.d.), both in balb/c mice and in ferrets. ferrets were challenged with the homologous strain a/uruguay/716/2007 (h3n2) or the ...	2014	25173481
respiratory transmission of an avian h3n8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal.	the ongoing human h7n9 influenza infections highlight the threat of emerging avian influenza viruses. in 2011, an avian h3n8 influenza virus isolated from moribund new england harbour seals was shown to have naturally acquired mutations known to increase the transmissibility of highly pathogenic h5n1 influenza viruses. to elucidate the potential human health threat, here we evaluate a panel of avian h3n8 viruses and find that the harbour seal virus displays increased affinity for mammalian recep ...	2014	25183346
comparison of a human portable glucometer and an automated chemistry analyzer for measurement of blood glucose concentration in pet ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	this study compared blood glucose concentrations measured with a portable blood glucometer and a validated laboratory analyzer in venous blood samples of 20 pet ferrets (mustela putorius furo). correlation and agreement were evaluated with a bland-altman plot method and lin's concordance correlation coefficient. blood glucose concentrations measured with the laboratory analyzer and the glucometer ranged from 1.9 to 8.6 mmol/l and from 0.9 to 9.2 mmol/l, respectively. the glucometer had a poor ag ...	2014	25183894
severity of clinical disease and pathology in ferrets experimentally infected with influenza viruses is influenced by inoculum volume.	ferrets are a valuable model for influenza virus pathogenesis, virus transmission, and antiviral therapy studies. however, the contributions of the volume of inoculum administered and the ferret's respiratory tract anatomy to disease outcome have not been explored. we noted variations in clinical disease outcomes and the volume of inoculum administered and investigated these differences by administering two influenza viruses (a/california/07/2009 [h1n1 pandemic] and a/minnesota/11/2010 [h3n2 var ...	2014	25187553
evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation in a porcine model following radiation exposure.	recent evidence has suggested that disseminated intravascular coagulation (dic) plays an integral role in death at the ld50 dose of either gamma or solar particle event (spe)-like proton radiation in ferrets. in these studies, yucatan minipigs were evaluated to determine whether they were susceptible to the development of radiation induced dic. yucatan minipigs were exposed to a dose of 2.5 gray (gy) with x-rays and monitored over the course of 30 days. evidence of dic was evaluated by way of th ...	2014	25197627
plant expression systems for production of hemagglutinin as a vaccine against influenza virus.	many examples of a successful application of plant-based expression systems for production of biologically active recombinant proteins exist in the literature. these systems can function as inexpensive platforms for the large scale production of recombinant pharmaceuticals or subunit vaccines. hemagglutinin (ha) is a major surface antigen of the influenza virus, thus it is in the centre of interests of various subunit vaccine engineering programs. large scale production of recombinant ha in trad ...	2014	25203219
the complete mitochondrial genome of black-footed ferret, mustela nigripes (mustela, mustelinae).	in this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of black-footed ferret, mustela nigripes, is determined for the first time. this mitogenome is 16,556 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, and 1 control region (d-loop). the overall base composition is a (32.9%), c (26.1%), g (13.8%), and t (27.2%), so the percentage of a and t (60.1%) is higher than that of g and c. most of the genes are encoded on h-strand, except for the nd6 s ...	2016	25208186
human h7n9 and h5n1 influenza viruses differ in induction of cytokines and tissue tropism.	since emerging in 2013, the avian-origin h7n9 influenza viruses have resulted in over 400 human infections, leading to 115 deaths to date. although the epidemiology differs from human highly pathogenic avian h5n1 influenza virus infections, there is a similar rapid progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome. the aim of these studies was to compare the pathological and immunological characteristics of a panel of human h7n9 and h5n1 viruses in vitro and in vivo. although there were similar ...	2014	25210188
identification of molecular markers associated with alteration of receptor-binding specificity in a novel genotype of highly pathogenic avian influenza a(h5n1) viruses detected in cambodia in 2013.	human infections with influenza a(h5n1) virus in cambodia increased sharply during 2013. molecular characterization of viruses detected in clinical specimens from human cases revealed the presence of mutations associated with the alteration of receptor-binding specificity (k189r, q222l) and respiratory droplet transmission in ferrets (n220k with q222l). discovery of quasispecies at position 222 (q/l), in addition to the absence of the mutations in poultry/environmental samples, suggested that th ...	2014	25210193
comparative analysis of virulence of a novel, avian-origin h3n2 canine influenza virus in various host species.	a novel avian-origin h3n2 canine influenza a virus (civ) that showed high sequence similarities in hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes with those of non-pathogenic avian influenza viruses was isolated in our routine surveillance program in south korea. we previously reported that the pathogenicity of this strain could be reproduced in dogs and cats. in the present study, the host tropism of h3n2 civ was examined by experimental inoculation into several host species, including chickens, pigs, m ...	2015	25218482
enteric colonization by staphylococcus delphini in four ferret kits with diarrhoea.	four, 1-to 4-week-old ferret kits were submitted to the diagnostic center for population and animal health at michigan state university for post-mortem examination. grossly, multiple bowel loops in all ferret kits were distended by mucoid faecal material. microscopically, there was no evidence of inflammation or notable alteration to the normal mucosal morphology. gram-positive coccoid bacteria colonized variable segments of the small intestine. these bacteria were identified as staphylococcus d ...	2014	25246181
a single immunization with modified vaccinia virus ankara-based influenza virus h7 vaccine affords protection in the influenza a(h7n9) pneumonia ferret model.	since the first reports in early 2013, >440 human cases of infection with avian influenza a(h7n9) have been reported including 122 fatalities. after the isolation of the first a(h7n9) viruses, the nucleotide sequences became publically available. based on the coding sequence of the influenza virus a/shanghai/2/2013 hemagglutinin gene, a codon-optimized gene was synthesized and cloned into a recombinant modified vaccinia virus ankara (mva). this mva-h7-sh2 viral vector was used to immunize ferret ...	2015	25246535
pandemic potential of avian influenza a (h7n9) viruses.	avian influenza viruses rarely infect humans, but the recently emerged avian h7n9 influenza viruses have caused sporadic infections in humans in china, resulting in 440 confirmed cases with 122 fatalities as of 16 may 2014. in addition, epidemiologic surveys suggest that there have been asymptomatic or mild human infections with h7n9 viruses. these viruses replicate efficiently in mammals, show limited transmissibility in ferrets and guinea pigs, and possess mammalian-adapting amino acid changes ...	2014	25264312
memory trace and timing mechanism localized to cerebellar purkinje cells.	the standard view of the mechanisms underlying learning is that they involve strengthening or weakening synaptic connections. learned response timing is thought to combine such plasticity with temporally patterned inputs to the neuron. we show here that a cerebellar purkinje cell in a ferret can learn to respond to a specific input with a temporal pattern of activity consisting of temporally specific increases and decreases in firing over hundreds of milliseconds without a temporally patterned i ...	2014	25267641
h5 n-terminal β sheet promotes oligomerization of h7-ha1 that induces better antibody affinity maturation and enhanced protection against h7n7 and h7n9 viruses compared to inactivated influenza vaccine.	initiation of mass vaccination is critical in response to influenza pandemic. there is an urgent need of a simple, rapid method for production of influenza vaccine that is more effective than current traditional influenza vaccines. recent h7n9 transmissions to humans in china with high morbidity/mortality initiated extensive vaccine evaluation. we produced the ha1 domains (amino acids 1-320) from h7n9 and h7n7 strains in e. coli. both were found to contain primarily monomers/trimers with low oli ...	2014	25284811
[immunoallergic skin manifestations associated with new pets: three cases].	the number of household pets increased greatly during the twentieth century, with numbers of new pets (np, i.e. any pets other than cats and dogs) rising especially sharply over the last decade.	2014	25288061
novel markers of gonadectomy-induced adrenocortical neoplasia in the mouse and ferret.	gonadectomy (gdx) induces sex steroid-producing adrenocortical tumors in certain mouse strains and in the domestic ferret. transcriptome analysis and dna methylation mapping were used to identify novel genetic and epigenetic markers of gdx-induced adrenocortical neoplasia in female dba/2j mice. markers were validated using a combination of laser capture microdissection, quantitative rt-pcr, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. microarray expression profiling of whole adrenal mrna fro ...	2015	25289806
[sequencing and analysis of n gene of street rabies virus isolated from different hosts in zhejiang province].	to elucidate the characteristics of genetic variability and its relationship with prevalence, through sequencing and analysis of n gene among street rabies virus isolated from different hosts (homo sapiens, ferret badger, dog) in zhejiang province.	2014	25294078
establishment of an experimental ferret ocular hypertension model for the analysis of central visual pathway damage.	glaucoma optic neuropathy (gon) is a condition where pathogenic intraocular pressure (iop) results in axonal damage following retinal ganglion cell (rgc) death, and further results in secondary damage of the lateral geniculate nucleus (lgn). therapeutic targets for glaucoma thus focus on both the lgn and rgc. however, the temporal and spatial patterns of degeneration and the mechanism of lgn damage have not been fully elucidated. suitable and convenient ocular hypertension (oh) animal models wit ...	2014	25308730
mixed germ cell-sex cord-stromal tumor with a concurrent interstitial cell tumor in a ferret.	a 5-year-old male ferret presented with an enlarged canalicular testis in the left inguinal region. microscopically, the enlarged testis consisted of a diffuse intimately admixed proliferation of c-kit-positive germ cell-like and wilms tumor-1 protein-positive sertoli cell-like components, but no call-exner body was detected. in addition, the compact proliferation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-intense positive interstitial cells was identified in a separate peripheral area of the mas ...	2015	25311985
an avian h7n1 gain-of-function experiment of great concern.	inappropriately named gain-of-function influenza research seeks to confer airborne transmission on avian influenza a viruses that otherwise cause only dead-end infections in humans. a recent study has succeeded in doing this with a highly pathogenic ostrich h7n1 virus in a ferret model without loss of virulence. if transposable to humans, this would constitute a novel virus with a case fatality rate ~30 greater than that of spanish flu. a commentary from three distinguished virologists considere ...	2014	25316697
defective innate immunity and hyperinflammation in newborn cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-knockout ferret lungs.	mucociliary clearance (mcc) and submucosal glands are major components of airway innate immunity that have impaired function in cystic fibrosis (cf). although both of these defense systems develop postnatally in the ferret, the lungs of newborn ferrets remain sterile in the presence of a functioning cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. we evaluated several components of airway innate immunity and inflammation in the early cf ferret lung. at birth, the rates of mcc did not di ...	2015	25317669
sequence and phylogenetic analysis identifies a putative novel gyrovirus 3 genotype in ferret feces.	the genomic sequence of a novel gyrovirus (gyv) 3 strain was detected from the fecal sample of a pet ferret. the length (2,359 nt) and the basic genomic structure of this strain was very similar to that of the single known gyv3 reference strain, whereas the genome sequence identity between the two strains was only 76 %. similarly, moderate sequence homology was found within the predicted protein coding regions, vp1 (nt, 72 %; aa, 76 %), vp2 (nt, 84 %; aa, 85 %), and vp3 (nt, 85 %; aa, 73 %). seq ...	2015	25319533
polymerase discordance in novel swine influenza h3n2v constellations is tolerated in swine but not human respiratory epithelial cells.	swine-origin h3n2v, a variant of h3n2 influenza virus, is a concern for novel reassortment with circulating pandemic h1n1 influenza virus (h1n1pdm09) in swine because this can lead to the emergence of a novel pandemic virus. in this study, the reassortment prevalence of h3n2v with h1n1pdm09 was determined in swine cells. reassortants evaluated showed that the h1n1pdm09 polymerase (pa) segment occurred within swine h3n2 with ∼ 80% frequency. the swine h3n2-human h1n1pdm09 pa reassortant (swh3n2-h ...	2014	25330303
dependence of cardiac transverse tubules on the bar domain protein amphiphysin ii (bin-1).	transverse tubules (t-tubules) regulate cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and exhibit interchamber and interspecies differences in expression. in cardiac disease, t-tubule loss occurs and affects the systolic calcium transient. however, the mechanisms controlling t-tubule maintenance and whether these factors differ between species, cardiac chambers, and in a disease setting remain unclear.	2014	25332206
the effects of gamma and proton radiation exposure on hematopoietic cell counts in the ferret model.	exposure to total-body radiation induces hematological changes, which can detriment one's immune response to wounds and infection. here, the decreases in blood cell counts after acute radiation doses of γ-ray or proton radiation exposure, at the doses and dose-rates expected during a solar particle event (spe), are reported in the ferret model system. following the exposure to γ-ray or proton radiation, the ferret peripheral total white blood cell (wbc) and lymphocyte counts decreased whereas ne ...	2013	25356435
transmission of h7n9 influenza virus in mice by different infective routes.	on 19 february 2013, the first patient infected with a novel influenza a h7n9 virus from an avian source showed symptoms of sickness. more than 349 laboratory-confirmed cases and 109 deaths have been reported in mainland china since then. laboratory-confirmed, human-to-human h7n9 virus transmission has not been documented between individuals having close contact; however, this transmission route could not be excluded for three families. to control the spread of the avian influenza h7n9 virus, we ...	2014	25367670
modeling spatial patterns in the visual cortex.	we propose a model for the formation of patterns in the visual cortex. the dynamical units of the model are kuramoto phase oscillators that interact through a complex network structure embedded in two dimensions. in this way the strength of the interactions takes into account the geographical distance between units. we show that for different parameters, clustered or striped patterns emerge. using the structure factor as an order parameter we are able to quantitatively characterize these pattern ...	2014	25375560
eye-specific retinogeniculate segregation proceeds normally following disruption of patterned spontaneous retinal activity.	spontaneous retinal activity (sra) is important during eye-specific segregation within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dlgn), but the feature(s) of activity critical for retinogeniculate refinement are controversial. pharmacologically or genetically manipulating cholinergic signaling during sra perturbs correlated retinal ganglion cell (rgc) spiking and disrupts eye-specific retinofugal refinement in vivo, consistent with an instructive role for sra during visual system development. parad ...	2014	25377639
the role of multiple wildlife hosts in the persistence and spread of bovine tuberculosis in new zealand.	to explore how the inclusion of multi-host dynamics affects the predicted prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (tb) in possums and other host species following the current best practice for control of tb in large difficult and remote areas, to identify which host species are responsible for changes in predicted prevalence, and whether tb can persist in possum-free host communities.	2015	25384267
benefits of a ball and chain: simple environmental enrichments improve welfare and reproductive success in farmed american mink (neovison vison).	can simple enrichments enhance caged mink welfare? pilot data from 756 sub-adults spanning three colour-types (strains) identified potentially practical enrichments, and suggested beneficial effects on temperament and fur-chewing. our main experiment started with 2032 black mink on three farms: from each of 508 families, one juvenile male-female pair was enriched (e) with two balls and a hanging plastic chain or length of hose, while a second pair was left as a non-enriched (ne) control. at 8 mo ...	2014	25386726
h7n9: preparing for the unexpected in influenza.	in the years prior to 2013, avian influenza a h7 viruses were a cause of significant poultry mortality; however, human illness was generally mild. in march 2013, a novel influenza a(h7n9) virus emerged in china as an unexpected cause of severe human illness with 36% mortality. chinese and other public health officials responded quickly, characterizing the virus and identifying more than 400 cases through use of new technologies and surveillance tools made possible by past preparedness and respon ...	2015	25386931
the draft genome sequence of the ferret (mustela putorius furo) facilitates study of human respiratory disease.	the domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) is an important animal model for multiple human respiratory diseases. it is considered the 'gold standard' for modeling human influenza virus infection and transmission. here we describe the 2.41 gb draft genome assembly of the domestic ferret, constituting 2.28 gb of sequence plus gaps. we annotated 19,910 protein-coding genes on this assembly using rna-seq data from 21 ferret tissues. we characterized the ferret host response to two influenza virus i ...	2014	25402615
a live attenuated equine h3n8 influenza vaccine is highly immunogenic and efficacious in mice and ferrets.	equine influenza viruses (eiv) are responsible for rapidly spreading outbreaks of respiratory disease in horses. although natural infections of humans with eiv have not been reported, experimental inoculation of humans with these viruses can lead to a productive infection and elicit a neutralizing antibody response. moreover, eiv have crossed the species barrier to infect dogs, pigs, and camels and therefore may also pose a threat to humans. based on serologic cross-reactivity of h3n8 eiv from d ...	2015	25410860
genetics, receptor binding property, and transmissibility in mammals of naturally isolated h9n2 avian influenza viruses.	h9n2 subtype influenza viruses have been detected in different species of wild birds and domestic poultry in many countries for several decades. because these viruses are of low pathogenicity in poultry, their eradication is not a priority for animal disease control in many countries, which has allowed them to continue to evolve and spread. here, we characterized the genetic variation, receptor-binding specificity, replication capability, and transmission in mammals of a series of h9n2 influenza ...	2014	25411973
transduction of ferret airway epithelia using a pre-treatment and lentiviral gene vector.	the safety and efficiency of gene therapies for cystic fibrosis (cf) need to be assessed in pre-clinical models. using the normal ferret, this study sought to determine whether ferret airway epithelia could be transduced with a lysophosphatidylcholine (lpc) pre-treatment followed by a vsv-g pseudotyped hiv-1 based lentiviral (lv) vector, in preparation for future studies in cf ferrets.	2014	25413892
ferret hepatitis e virus infection in japan.	we examined 85 fecal samples from pet ferrets in 10 animal hospitals in japan for the detection of ferret hepatitis e virus (hev) rna. we found that 6 (7.1%) of the samples were positive for ferret hev rna. phylogenetic analysis based on the partial orf1 indicated that these ferret hev strains were clearly separated from the netherlands strains and were divided into 2 distinct clusters. these results suggest that ferret hev is genetically diverse, and since ferrets are not indigenous to japan, f ...	2015	25420653
hematology of the domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo).	pet ferrets are presented to veterinary clinics for routine care and treatment of clinical diseases and female reproductive problems. in addition to obtaining clinical history, additional diagnostic testing may be required, including hematological assessments. this article describes common blood collection methods, including venipuncture sites, volume of blood that can be safely collected, and handling of the blood. hematological parameters for normal ferrets are provided along with a descriptio ...	2015	25421021
testicular leiomyosarcoma and marked alopecia in a cryptorchid ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 3.5-year-old male ferret, bought as male castrated, was presented to the veterinarian with marked alopecia of back, neck, abdomen and tail, a pronounced sexual behaviour and weight loss. an inguinal mass of about 2.5 cm in diameter was diagnosed as potentially tumorous inguinal testicle by ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. adrenal glands and prostate were ultrasonographically unremarkable. the surgically removed cryptorchid testicle contained a greyish tumour that was histologically compo ...	2014	25423575
animal models for influenza viruses: implications for universal vaccine development.	influenza virus infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the human population. depending on the virulence of the influenza virus strain, as well as the immunological status of the infected individual, the severity of the respiratory disease may range from sub-clinical or mild symptoms to severe pneumonia that can sometimes lead to death. vaccines remain the primary public health measure in reducing the influenza burden. though the first influenza vaccine preparation was l ...	2014	25436508
henipavirus infections: lessons from animal models.	the henipavirus genus contains two highly lethal viruses, the hendra and nipah viruses and one, recently discovered, apparently nonpathogenic member; cedar virus. these three, negative-sense single-stranded rna viruses, are hosted by fruit bats and use ephrinb2 receptors for entry into cells. the hendra and nipah viruses are zoonotic pathogens that emerged in the middle of 90s and have caused severe, and often fatal, neurologic and/or respiratory diseases in both humans and different animals; in ...	2013	25437037
replication of live attenuated cold-adapted h2n2 influenza virus vaccine candidates in non human primates.	the development of an h2n2 vaccine is a priority in pandemic preparedness planning. we previously showed that a single dose of a cold-adapted (ca) h2n2 live attenuated influenza vaccine (laiv) based on the influenza a/ann arbor/6/60 (aa ca) virus was immunogenic and efficacious in mice and ferrets. however, in a phase i clinical trial, viral replication was restricted and immunogenicity was poor. in this study, we compared the replication of four h2n2 laiv candidate viruses, aa ca, a/tecumseh/3/ ...	2015	25444799
aleutian disease: an emerging disease in free-ranging striped skunks (mephitis mephitis) from california.	aleutian disease virus (adv, amdovirus, parvoviridae) primarily infects farmed mustelids (mink and ferrets) but also other fur-bearing animals and humans. three aleutian disease (ad) cases have been described in captive striped skunks; however, little is known about the relevance of ad in free-ranging carnivores. this work describes the pathological findings and temporospatial distribution in 7 cases of ad in free-ranging striped skunks. all cases showed neurologic disease and were found in a 46 ...	2015	25445322
intranasal immunization of recombinant lactococcus lactis induces protection against h5n1 virus in ferrets.	the increasing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza a (hpai) h5n1 viruses in birds and human bring out an urgent need to develop a safe and effective vaccine to control and prevent h5n1 infection. lactococcus lactis (l. lactis) based vaccine platform is a promising approach for mucosal h5n1 vaccine development. intranasal immunization is the potential to induce mucosal immune response which is associated with protective immunity. to develop a safe and effective mucosal vaccine against ...	2015	25445345
repeated threat (without harm) in a living environment potentiates defensive behavior.	children exposed to neighborhood violence have higher rates of aggression, but it is unclear whether aggression is associated with threat, harm or the combination of factors. all animals, including humans, experience threat as they leave the safety of home and risk harm to gather resources (foraging). to better understand how selective environmental variables drive behavioral tendencies, we developed a semi-naturalistic living environment that includes the need to navigate across space to obtain ...	2015	25446759
cross-protection against h7n9 influenza strains using a live-attenuated h7n3 virus vaccine.	in 2013, avian h7n9 influenza viruses were detected infecting people in china resulting in high mortality. influenza h7 vaccines that provide cross-protection against these new viruses are needed until specific h7n9 vaccines are ready to market. in this study, an available h7n3 cold-adapted, temperature sensitive, live attenuated influenza vaccine (laiv) elicited protective immune responses in ferrets against h7n9 viruses. the h7n3 laiv administered alone (by intranasal or subcutaneous administr ...	2015	25448100
the body has a brake: micrin is a postulated new gonadal hormone curbing tissue overgrowth and restricting reproduction.	there is evidence for an unrecognised classical hormone secreted by the mammalian gonad. this postulated hormone--'micrin' (pronounced 'my-crin')--represents the body's brake against tissue overgrowth. when oestrogens are administered in high doses to female rats there is a considerable (non-artefactual) increase in the relative size and weight of organs such as the pituitary, adrenals, uterus and liver--suggesting an organotrophic (organ-building) role for endogenous oestrogens. this effect is ...	2014	25456786
somatotopic organization of ferret thalamus.	the stereotaxic reference marks of ferret skull have large variability and the reference point for stereotaxic experiments in ferret brain is difficult to define. here, using extracellular single-unit recordings, we studied the somatotopic organization of cutaneous receptive fields in the ventroposterior medial (vpm) and the ventral posterolateral (vpl) nuclei of the ferret thalamus. the mechanical stimulation of the skin was done through air puffs. the skull was positioned according to horsley- ...	2014	25484859
decision criterion dynamics in animals performing an auditory detection task.	classical signal detection theory attributes bias in perceptual decisions to a threshold criterion, against which sensory excitation is compared. the optimal criterion setting depends on the signal level, which may vary over time, and about which the subject is naïve. consequently, the subject must optimise its threshold by responding appropriately to feedback. here a series of experiments was conducted, and a computational model applied, to determine how the decision bias of the ferret in an au ...	2014	25485733
development of a duplex real-time rt-qpcr assay to monitor genome replication, gene expression and gene insert stability during in vivo replication of a prototype live attenuated canine distemper virus vector encoding siv gag.	advancement of new vaccines based on live viral vectors requires sensitive assays to analyze in vivo replication, gene expression and genetic stability. in this study, attenuated canine distemper virus (cdv) was used as a vaccine delivery vector and duplex 2-step quantitative real-time rt-pcr (rt-qpcr) assays specific for genomic rna (grna) or mrna have been developed that concurrently quantify coding sequences for the cdv nucleocapsid protein (n) and a foreign vaccine antigen (siv gag). these a ...	2015	25486083
differential hypoglycaemic, anorectic, autonomic and emetic effects of the glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist, exendin-4, in the conscious telemetered ferret.	rodents are incapable of emesis and consequently the emetic potential of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (glp-1r) agonists in studies designed to assess a potential blood glucose lowering action of the compound was missed. therefore, we investigated if the ferret, a carnivore with demonstrated translation capability in emesis research, would identify the emetic potential of the glp-1r agonist, exendin-4, and any associated effects on gastric motor function, appetite and cardiovascular homeostas ...	2014	25491123
feral ferrets (mustela furo) as hosts and sentinels of tuberculosis in new zealand.	the control and eventual eradication of bovine tuberculosis (tb) poses major challenges in new zealand, given the variety of wildlife species susceptible to tb, many of which are capable of onwards transmission of mycobacterium bovis infection. here we discuss the role of feral ferrets (mustela furo), focussing on potential transmission or risk pathways that have implications for management of tb. firstly inter-specific transmission to ferrets. ferrets scavenge potentially infected wildlife, inc ...	2015	25495945
toying with fate: redirecting the differentiation of adrenocortical progenitor cells into gonadal-like tissue.	cell fate decisions are integral to zonation and remodeling of the adrenal cortex. animal models exhibiting ectopic differentiation of gonadal-like cells in the adrenal cortex can shed light on the molecular mechanisms regulating steroidogenic cell fate. in one such model, prepubertal gonadectomy (gdx) of mice triggers the formation of adrenocortical neoplasms that resemble luteinized ovarian stroma. transcriptomic analysis and genome-wide dna methylation mapping have identified genetic and epig ...	2015	25498963
frequency-band signatures of visual responses to naturalistic input in ferret primary visual cortex during free viewing.	neuronal firing responses in visual cortex reflect the statistics of visual input and emerge from the interaction with endogenous network dynamics. artificial visual stimuli presented to animals in which the network dynamics were constrained by anesthetic agents or trained behavioral tasks have provided fundamental understanding of how individual neurons in primary visual cortex respond to input. in contrast, very little is known about the mesoscale network dynamics and their relationship to mic ...	2015	25498982
the in vivo efficacy and side effect pharmacology of gs-5759, a novel bifunctional phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor and long-acting β 2-adrenoceptor agonist in preclinical animal species.	bronchodilators are a central therapy for symptom relief in respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) and asthma, with inhaled β 2-adrenoceptor agonists and anticholinergics being the primary treatments available. the present studies evaluated the in vivo pharmacology of (r)-6-[[3-[[4-[5-[[2-hydroxy-2-(8-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinolin-5-yl)ethyl]amino]pent-1-ynyl]phenyl]carbamoyl]phenyl]sulfonyl]-4-[(3-methoxyphenyl)amino]-8-methylquinoline-3-carboxamide (gs-57 ...	2014	25505595