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allergic lung inflammation affects central noradrenergic control of cholinergic outflow to the airways in ferrets.brain stem noradrenergic cell groups mediating autonomic responses to stress project to airway-related vagal preganglionic neurons (avpns). in ferrets, their activation produces withdrawal of cholinergic outflow to the airways via release of norepinephrine and activation of alpha(2a)-adrenergic receptors (alpha(2a)-ar) expressed by avpns. in these studies, we examined the effects of allergen exposure of the airway (ae) with ovalbumin on noradrenergic transmission regulating the activity of avpns ...200717872402
cochlear ablation in adult ferrets results in changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 and synaptophysin immunostaining in the cochlear nucleus.afferent activity modulates synaptic plasticity as well as the levels of activity-dependent molecules such as growth factors. disruption of this activity due to deafferentation has been shown to result in an altered trophic support and consequently in changes in neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. in the present study, to test whether lack of cochlear integrity results in changes in insulin-growth factor-1 (igf-1) and synaptophysin immunostaining in the cochlear nucleus, the first r ...200717764853
purinergic p2x receptor activation induces emetic responses in ferrets and suncus murinus (house musk shrews).despite the rapid progress made in understanding the significant role played by signalling via extracellular atp in physiology and pathology, there has been no clear information generated on its involvement in the emetic response.200717700716
adaptive changes in cortical receptive fields induced by attention to complex sounds.receptive fields in primary auditory cortex (a1) can be rapidly and adaptively reshaped to enhance responses to salient frequency cues when using single tones as targets. to explore receptive field changes to more complex spectral patterns, we trained ferrets to detect variable, multitone targets in the context of background, rippled noise. recordings from a1 of behaving ferrets showed a consistent pattern of plasticity, at both the single-neuron level and the population level, with enhancement ...200717699691
neuronal death in the lateral geniculate nucleus of young ferrets following a cortical lesion: time-course, age dependence and involvement of caspases.in humans and many other mammalian species, the behavioural consequences of a cortical lesion tend to be milder when it occurs early in life, and there is evidence that an important factor contributing to the behavioural sparing in the young is the formation of new thalamo-cortical connections by thalamic neurons initially connected with the lesioned area. however, this plasticity may be hindered by the secondary death of many of these neurons owing to the elimination by the primary lesion of th ...200717678880
usefulness of the dopamine system-stabilizer aripiprazole for reducing morphine-induced emesis.in the management of pain, nausea and vomiting are some of the most distressing adverse effects induced by opioids. in the present study, we investigated the effect of the dopamine system-stabilizer aripiprazole on morphine-induced emesis. morphine induced retching and vomiting in a dose-dependent manner in ferrets. the emetic effect of morphine was significantly suppressed by pretreatment with either the dopamine receptor antagonist haloperidol or aripiprazole. these results suggest that the co ...200717678644
outcomes of adoption of adult laboratory ferrets after gonadectomy during a veterinary student teaching exercise.we surveyed 27 people who had adopted a total of 43 adult domestic ferrets after their use in a series of veterinary student surgery teaching laboratories to assess the success of those adoptions and to determine the rate of occurrence of common maladies of domestic ferrets after adult gonadectomy as compared with the usual practice of early-age gonadectomy. the adoptions took place 1-7 y prior to the survey. the response rate was 48% of adopters, covering 53% of the ferrets. overall the success ...200717645296
role of auditory cortex in sound localization in the midsagittal plane.although the auditory cortex is known to be essential for normal sound localization in the horizontal plane, its contribution to vertical localization has not so far been examined. in this study, we measured the acuity with which ferrets could discriminate between two speakers in the midsagittal plane before and after silencing activity bilaterally in the primary auditory cortex (a1). this was achieved either by subdural placement of elvax implants containing the gaba a receptor agonist muscimol ...200717596417
acquisition, extinction, and reacquisition of a cerebellar cortical memory trace.associative learning in the cerebellum underlies motor memories and probably also cognitive associations. pavlovian eyeblink conditioning, a widely used experimental model of such learning, depends on the cerebellum, but the memory locus within the cerebellum as well as the underlying mechanisms have remained controversial. to date, crucial information on how cerebellar purkinje cells change their activity during learning has been ambiguous and contradictory, and there is no information at all a ...200717344387
dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus: a site for evoking simultaneous changes in crural diaphragm activity, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, and fundus tone.the sphincter mechanism at the esophagogastric junction includes smooth muscle of the lower esophagus and skeletal muscle of the crural diaphragm (cd). smooth muscle is known to be under the control of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (dmv), while central nervous system (cns) control of the cd is unknown. the main purposes of our study were to determine the cns site that controls the cd and whether simultaneous changes in lower esophageal sphincter (les) pressure and cd activity occur when ...200817977921
stimulus-timing-dependent plasticity of cortical frequency representation.adult cortical circuits possess considerable plasticity, which can be induced by modifying their inputs. one mechanism proposed to underlie changes in neuronal responses is spike-timing-dependent plasticity (stdp), an up- or downregulation of synaptic efficacy contingent upon the order and timing of presynaptic and postsynaptic activity. the repetitive and asynchronous pairing of a sensory stimulus with either another sensory stimulus or current injection can alter the response properties of vis ...200819074036
virtual adult ears reveal the roles of acoustical factors and experience in auditory space map development.auditory neurons in the superior colliculus (sc) respond preferentially to sounds from restricted directions to form a map of auditory space. the development of this representation is shaped by sensory experience, but little is known about the relative contribution of peripheral and central factors to the emergence of adult responses. by recording from the sc of anesthetized ferrets at different age points, we show that the map matures gradually after birth; the spatial receptive fields (srfs) b ...200818987192
experience with moving visual stimuli drives the early development of cortical direction selectivity.the onset of vision occurs when neural circuits in the visual cortex are immature, lacking both the full complement of connections and the response selectivity that defines functional maturity. direction-selective responses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of early visual deprivation, but it remains unclear how stimulus-driven neural activity guides the emergence of cortical direction selectivity. here we report observations from a motion training protocol that allowed us to monitor th ...200818946471
simple and complex spike firing patterns in purkinje cells during classical conditioning.classical blink conditioning is known to depend critically on the cerebellum and the relevant circuitry is gradually being unravelled. several lines of evidence support the theory that the conditioned stimulus is transmitted by mossy fibers to the cerebellar cortex whereas the unconditioned stimulus is transmitted by climbing fibers. this view has been dramatically confirmed by recent purkinje cell recordings during training with a classical conditioning paradigm. we have tracked the activity of ...200818931885
new insights in the neural regulation of the lower oesophageal sphincter.gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (gord) is caused by disordered control of the gastro-oesophageal reflux barrier, comprised internally of the lower oesophageal sphincter (los) and externally the crural diaphragm (cd). both relax briefly to allow bolus passage during oesophageal peristalsis. brief relaxation also occurs prior to gastro-oesophageal reflux, known as transient los relaxation (tlosr), normally allowing venting of gas. tlosrs also account for up to 90% of acid reflux episodes. the de ...200818924442
segregated hemispheric pathways through the optic chiasm distinguish primates from rodents.at the optic chiasm retinal fibers either cross the midline, or remain uncrossed. here we trace hemispheric pathways through the marmoset chiasm and show that fibers from the lateral optic nerve pass directly toward the ipsilateral optic tract without any significant change in fiber order and without approaching the midline, while those from medial regions of the nerve decussate directly. anterograde labeling from one eye shows that the two hemispheric pathways remain segregated through the prox ...200818854206
cytomorphological and immunohistochemical features of lymphoma in ferrets.twenty ferrets with histopathologically diagnosed lymphoma were classified cytomorphologically and immunohistochemically. according to site of origin, multicentric, gastrointestinal, mediastinal and cutaneous lymphomas accounted for 8 (40%), 9 (45%), 2 (10%) and 1 case (5%), respectively. according to the national cancer institute working formulation (nci-wf), low-, high- and intermediate-grade lymphomas accounted for 4 (20%), 4 (20%) and 12 cases (60%), respectively. the 4 low-grade lymphomas s ...200818840962
comments on treatment of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets. 200818764701
laboratory findings, histopathology, and immunophenotype of lymphoma in domestic ferrets.lymphoma is a common tumor in ferrets, but anatomic distribution, histomorphology, immunophenotype, laboratory abnormalities, and response to chemotherapy are incompletely defined. in this study, lymphoma was diagnosed by histopathology of tumor tissue in 29 ferrets ranging in age from 0.8 to 8.5 years, including 12 males and 17 females. tumors involved the viscera of the abdominal cavity (n = 11), thoracic cavity (n = 1), or abdominal and thoracic cavities (n = 7); the skin (n = 2); or the visc ...200818725471
effect of sb-750364, a specific trpv1 receptor antagonist, on injury-induced ectopic discharge in the lingual nerve.abnormal neural activity generated at a site of nerve injury is thought to contribute to the development of dysaesthesia. vanilloid receptor 1 (trpv1), a transducer of noxious stimuli, may be involved in the initiation of this abnormal activity and could provide a useful therapeutic target. we investigated the effect of a specific trpv1 antagonist (sb-750364) on injury-induced discharge in the lingual nerve. in 12 anaesthetised adult ferrets the left lingual nerve was sectioned and animals were ...200818634850
non-linear population firing rates and voltage sensitive dye signals in visual areas 17 and 18 to short duration stimuli.visual stimuli of short duration seem to persist longer after the stimulus offset than stimuli of longer duration. this visual persistence must have a physiological explanation. in ferrets exposed to stimuli of different durations we measured the relative changes in the membrane potentials with a voltage sensitive dye and the action potentials of populations of neurons in the upper layers of areas 17 and 18. for durations less than 100 ms, the timing and amplitude of the firing and membrane pote ...200818628825
p2x(3) expression is not altered by lingual nerve injury.we have investigated a possible role for the atp receptor subunit p2x(3), in the development of neuropathic pain following injury to a peripheral branch of the trigeminal nerve. in nine anaesthetised adult ferrets the left lingual nerve was sectioned and recovery permitted for 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months (3 ferrets per group). a retrograde tracer, fluorogold, was applied to the nerve to allow identification of cell bodies in the trigeminal ganglion with axons in the injured nerve. indirect immun ...200818597934
long-term outcome of domestic ferrets treated surgically for hyperadrenocorticism: 130 cases (1995-2004).to determine the long-term survival rate and factors that affect survival time of domestic ferrets treated surgically for hyperadrenocorticism.200818447778
toxicology of ferrets.because of their curious nature and small size, ferrets are at risk for various toxicoses. at present, there is not a great deal of information on specific toxicants in ferrets. this article initially reviews general consideration in treating poisoning in ferrets, such as obtaining history and decontamination. it then discusses some specific agents that appear to be common causes of poisoning in ferrets based on the experience of the aspca animal poison control center.200818406389
sound localization behavior in ferrets: comparison of acoustic orientation and approach-to-target responses.auditory localization experiments typically either require subjects to judge the location of a sound source from a discrete set of response alternatives or involve measurements of the accuracy of orienting responses made toward the source location. to compare the results obtained by both methods, we trained ferrets by positive conditioning to stand on a platform at the center of a circular arena prior to stimulus presentation and then approach the source of a broadband noise burst delivered from ...200818281159
chemical coding and central projections of gastric vagal afferent neurons.vagal afferents that innervate gastric muscle or mucosa transmit distinct sensory information from their endings to the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (nts). while these afferent subtypes are functionally distinct, no neurochemical correlate has been described and it is unknown whether they terminate in different central locations. this study aimed to identify gastric vagal afferent subtypes in the nodose ganglion (ng) of ferrets, their terminal areas in nts and neurochemistry for isolectin-b ...200818266614
pancreatic endocrinopathies in ferrets.pancreatic endocrinopathies, especially insulinomas, are a common finding in ferrets. surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for insulinomas because it can provide longer disease-free intervals and survival times. because of the high rate of metastasis, owners should be advised that treatment is rarely curative and is aimed at controlling the clinical signs of hypoglycemia by stopping or slowing the progression of the insulinoma. although less common, diabetes mellitus can occur in f ...200818165140
visual experience promotes the isotropic representation of orientation preference.within the visual cortex of several mammalian species, more circuitry is devoted to the representation of vertical and horizontal orientations than oblique orientations. the sensitivity of this representation of orientation preference to visual experience during cortical maturation and the overabundance of cardinal contours in the environment suggest that vision promotes the development of this cortical anisotropy. we tested this idea by measuring the distribution of cortical orientation prefere ...200815137580
energetics of swimming by the ferret: consequences of forelimb paddling.the domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) swims by alternate strokes of the forelimbs. this pectoral paddling is rare among semi-aquatic mammals. the energetic implications of swimming by pectoral paddling were examined by kinematic analysis and measurement of oxygen consumption. ferrets maintained a constant stroke frequency, but increased swimming speed by increasing stroke amplitude. the ratio of swimming velocity to foot stroke velocity was low, indicating a low propulsive efficiency. meta ...200816861018
what is your diagnosis? preputial mass in a ferret.: a 7-year-old neutered male polecat-type ferret (mustela putorius furo) was presented for evaluation of a cutaneous mass close to the preputial orifice. cytologic examination of a fine-needle aspirate revealed numerous large clumps of amorphous pink mucinous material and numerous large clumps of slightly pleomorphic epithelial cells. the cells were arranged in papillary structures, palisades, and loosely cohesive sheets with a vaguely honeycomb appearance. occasional acinar formations were also ...200819055582
[curve-fits with hybrid logistic functions for isovolumic left ventricular pressure curve and isometric myocardial tension curve].non-linear regression and curve-fitting may contribute to resolution of the mechanism, summarise information, remove noise, allow speculation regarding unmeasured data, and separate the effects of multiple factors. the isovolumic left ventricular (lv) pressure curve and isometric myocardial tension curve have been curve-fit with polynomial expotential and sinusoidal functions. the isovolumic lv pressure curve and myocardial isometric tension curve are composed of contraction and relaxation proce ...200819108490
the pig as a mixing vessel for influenza viruses: human and veterinary implications.influenza a viruses are highly infectious respiratory pathogens that can infect many species. birds are the reservoir for all known influenza a subtypes; and novel influenza viruses can emerge from birds and infect mammalian species including humans. because swine are susceptible to infection with both avian and human influenza viruses, novel reassortant influenza viruses can be generated in this mammalian species by reassortment of influenza viral segments leading to the "mixing vessel" theory. ...200819565018
a plant-produced influenza subunit vaccine protects ferrets against virus challenge.influenza a viruses are of major concern for public health, causing worldwide epidemics associated with high morbidity and mortality. vaccines are critical for protection against influenza, but given the recent emergence of new strains with pandemic potential, and some limitations of the current production systems, there is a need for new approaches for vaccine development.200819453491
replication and transmission of h9n2 influenza viruses in ferrets: evaluation of pandemic potential.h9n2 avian influenza a viruses are endemic in poultry of many eurasian countries and have caused repeated human infections in asia since 1998. to evaluate the potential threat of h9n2 viruses to humans, we investigated the replication and transmission efficiency of h9n2 viruses in the ferret model. five wild-type (wt) h9n2 viruses, isolated from different avian species from 1988 through 2003, were tested in vivo and found to replicate in ferrets. however these viruses achieved mild peak viral ti ...200818698430
h5n1 vlp vaccine induced protection in ferrets against lethal challenge with highly pathogenic h5n1 influenza viruses.in this study, recombinant virus-like particles (vlps) were evaluated as a candidate vaccine against emerging influenza viruses with pandemic potential. the vlps are composed of the hemagglutinin (ha), neuraminidase (na), and matrix 1 (m1) proteins of the h5n1 a/indonesia/05/2005 (clade 2.1; [indo/05]) virus, which were expressed using baculovirus in spodoptera frugiperda (sf9) cells. ferrets received either 2 injections of the vlp vaccine at escalating doses (based on ha content), recombinant h ...200818706956
live, attenuated influenza virus (laiv) vehicles are strong inducers of immunity toward influenza b virus.historically, vaccines developed toward influenza viruses of the b type using methodologies developed for influenza a viruses as a blueprint have not been equally efficacious or effective. because most influenza research and public attention concerns influenza a viruses, these shortcomings have not been adequately addressed. in this manuscript, we utilized different influenza vaccine vehicles to compare immunogenicity and protection in mice and ferrets after vaccination against an influenza b vi ...200818708106
avian influenza h6 viruses productively infect and cause illness in mice and ferrets.influenza pandemic preparedness has focused on influenza virus h5 and h7 subtypes. however, it is not possible to predict with certainty which subtype of avian influenza virus will cause the next pandemic, and it is prudent to include other avian influenza virus subtypes in pandemic preparedness efforts. an h6 influenza virus was identified as a potential progenitor of the h5n1 viruses that emerged in hong kong in 1997. this virus continues to circulate in the bird population in asia, and other ...200818715930
interleukin (il)-1 regulates ozone-enhanced tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness by increasing substance p (sp) production in intrinsic airway neurons of ferret.exposure to ozone induces airway hyperresponsiveness (ahr) mediated partly by substance p (sp) released from nerve terminals of intrinsic airway neurons. our recent studies showed that interleukin (il)-1, an important multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine, increases synthesis and release of sp from intrinsic airway neurons. the purpose of this study is to investigate the possible involvement of endogenous il-1 in modulating neural responses associated with ozone-enhanced airway responsiveness ...200818718561
outbreak of canine distemper in domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo).in 2006 an outbreak of canine distemper affected 14 young domestic ferrets in barcelona, spain. their clinical signs included a reduced appetite, lethargy, dyspnoea, coughing, sneezing, mucopurulent ocular and nasal discharges, facial and perineal dermatitis, diarrhoea, splenomegaly and fever. late in the course of the disease, general desquamation and pruritus, and hyperkeratotic/crusting dermatitis of the lips, eyes, nose, footpads, and perineal area were observed. none of the ferrets develope ...200818723866
cystic renal disease in the domestic ferret.cystic renal diseases in domestic ferrets are a common anecdotal finding but have received scant systematic assessment. we performed a 17-y, case-control retrospective analysis of the medical records of 97 ferrets housed at our institution between 1987 and 2004, to determine the prevalence and morphotypes of cystic renal diseases in this species. histologic sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin, masson trichrome, or periodic acid-schiff were evaluated by a comparative pathologist, and stat ...200818524174
intra-abdominal leiomyosarcoma in a ferret (mustela putorius furo): histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization.a 5 years old female ferret with an abdominal palpable mass confirmed at echo-graphic examination died during an explorative laparotomy. a single lymph-node-like nodule was found adjacent to the intestinal loops. the round mass well circumscribed, solid and white, histologically, at low magnification, appeared encapsulated and built up by a population of atypical spindle cells arranged in interwoven fascicles. the cells had high anisocytosis degree, moderate mitotic activity and prominent nucleo ...200818525177
perception and cortical neural coding of harmonic fusion in ferrets.this study examined the perception and cortical representation of harmonic complex tones, from the perspective of the spectral fusion evoked by such sounds. experiment 1 tested whether ferrets spontaneously distinguish harmonic from inharmonic tones. in baseline sessions, ferrets detected a pure tone terminating a sequence of inharmonic tones. after they reached proficiency, a small fraction of the inharmonic tones were replaced with harmonic tones. some of the animals confused the harmonic tone ...200818529189
heartworm disease in animals and humans.heartworm disease due to dirofilaria immitis continues to cause severe disease and even death in dogs and other animals in many parts of the world, even though safe, highly effective and convenient preventatives have been available for the past two decades. moreover, the parasite and vector mosquitoes continue to spread into areas where they have not been reported previously. heartworm societies have been established in the usa and japan and the first european dirofilaria days (fedd) conference ...200818486691
comparison of effects of 2 harvesting methods on fat autograft.fat preparation for vocal-fold injection medialization is typically done by scraping of excised fat or by lipo-aspiration; however, lipo-aspiration is substantially more efficient. considering this, we compared viability of fat tissues obtained by these two techniques. we also examined whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bfgf) would increase cell proliferation in samples harvested by these methods.200818496155
contemporary north american influenza h7 viruses possess human receptor specificity: implications for virus transmissibility.avian h7 influenza viruses from both the eurasian and north american lineage have caused outbreaks in poultry since 2002, with confirmed human infection occurring during outbreaks in the netherlands, british columbia, and the united kingdom. the majority of h7 infections have resulted in self-limiting conjunctivitis, whereas probable human-to-human transmission has been rare. here, we used glycan microarray technology to determine the receptor-binding preference of eurasian and north american li ...200818508975
plasmid dna-based vaccines protect mice and ferrets against lethal challenge with a/vietnam/1203/04 (h5n1) influenza virus.plasmid dna (pdna) vaccines represent an alternative to conventional inactivated influenza vaccines that are likely to experience supply constraints during a pandemic. several vaxfectin-formulated pdna vaccines were tested in mice and ferrets for efficacy against a lethal challenge with the highly pathogenic a/vietnam/1203/04 (h5n1) influenza virus strain; the vaccines encoded influenza a virus hemagglutinin (ha), and/or nucleoprotein (np), and m2 protein. complete protection from death and dise ...200818513153
first record of eimeria furonis infection in a ferret, japan, with notes on the usefulness of partial small subunit ribosomal rna gene sequencing analysis for discriminating among eimeria species.eimeria is a genus of apicomplexan parasites found in a variety of vertebrates including the weasel. at present, three species have been reported in members of the weasel family, but the presence of weasel eimeria in japan have been quite unclear. the identification of eimeria species has been performed based on oocyst morphology, host species, and habitat in the host, but sometimes discriminating among morphologically similar species under light microscopy is impossible. the present study detec ...200818516721
assessment of bovine herpesvirus 4 based vector in chicken.the biological characteristics of bohv-4 make it a good candidate as a gene delivery vector for vaccination purposes. these characteristics include little or no pathogenicity, unlikely oncogenicity, the ability to accommodate large amounts of foreign genetic material, the ability to infect several cell types from different animal species, such as sheep, goats, swine, cats, dogs, rabbits, mink, horses, turkeys, ferrets, monkeys, hamsters, rats, mice, and chickens. in this report, the feasibility ...200818243344
a preliminary study of sleep ontogenesis in the ferret (mustela putorius furo).we investigated sleep ontogenesis in the ferret-a placental mammal that is highly altricial compared to other mammalian species. because altriciality is linked with elevated rapid-eye-movement (rem) sleep amounts during infancy, it was expected that ferret kits would display very high levels of this state. longitudinal polysomnographic measurements were made from 8 ferret kits from approximately eye-opening (postnatal day [p]30)-p50 using an experimental routine that minimized the effects of mat ...200818243360
screening monoclonal antibodies for cross-reactivity in the ferret model of influenza infection.influenza virus infections carry a high public health cost, and pandemics are potentially catastrophic. though the ferret is generally regarded as the best model for human influenza, few reagents are available for the analysis of cellular immunity. we thus screened monoclonal antibodies (mabs) made for identifying immune cells in other species to see if any were cross-reactive. flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes isolated from blood, spleen, and lung of normal and virus-infected ferrets indi ...200818485358
molecular characterization of a new genotype of cryptosporidium from american minks (mustela vison) in china.a total of 469 fecal samples were collected from american minks (mustela vison) on a farm in hebei province in china and examined for cryptosporidium by sheather's sugar flotation technique and 8 cryptosporidim isolates were obtained. the partial 18s rrna, 70kda heat shock protein (hsp70), cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (cowp) and actin genes of six isolates were sequenced. sequence data were analyzed together with known cryptosporidium spp. and genotypes. results of this multi-locus geneti ...200818434024
canine distemper virus in wild ferret-badgers of taiwan.canine distemper is an acute or subacute, highly contagious, febrile disease that is caused by canine distemper virus (cdv). two cdv-infected wild taiwan ferret-badgers (melogale moschata subauantiaca) were found in kaohsiung county, southern taiwan, in 2005. each case was confirmed by detecting cdv rna in lung and brain tissues. a suspected third case was detected based on clinical signs and histology. these cases are the first record of wildlife infected by cdv in taiwan. it is believed that d ...200818436676
use of a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist implant as an alternative for surgical castration in male ferrets (mustela putorius furo).surgical castration in ferrets has been implicated as an etiological factor in the development of hyperadrenocorticism in this species due to a castration-related increase in plasma gonadotropins. in search for a suitable alternative, the effect of treatment with the depot gnrh-agonist implant, deslorelin, on plasma testosterone concentrations and concurrent testes size, spermatogenesis, and the typical musky odor of intact male ferrets was investigated. twenty-one male ferrets, equally divided ...200818439664
virus growth and antibody responses following respiratory tract infection of ferrets and mice with wt and p/v mutants of the paramyxovirus simian virus 5.p/v gene substitutions convert the non-cytopathic paramyxovirus simian virus 5 (sv5), which is a poor inducer of host cell responses in human tissue culture cells, into a mutant (p/v-cpi-) that induces high levels of apoptosis, interferon (ifn)-beta, and proinflammatory cytokines. however, the effect of sv5-p/v gene mutations on virus growth and adaptive immune responses in animals has not been determined. here, we used two distinct animal model systems to test the hypothesis that sv5-p/v mutant ...200818456301
comparative histological study of the mammalian facial nucleus.we performed comparative nissl, klüver-barrera and golgi staining studies of the mammalian facial nucleus to classify the morphologically distinct subdivisions and the neuronal types in the rat, rabbit, ferret, japanese monkey (macaca fuscata), pig, horse, risso's dolphin (grampus griseus), and bottlenose dolphin (tursiops truncatus). the medial subnucleus was observed in all examined species; however, that of the risso's and bottlenose dolphins was a poorly-developed structure comprised of scat ...200818460831
injectable peramivir mitigates disease and promotes survival in ferrets and mice infected with the highly virulent influenza virus, a/vietnam/1203/04 (h5n1).the post-exposure therapeutic efficacy of injectable peramivir against highly pathogenic avian influenza type a h5n1 was evaluated in mice and in ferrets. seventy to eighty percent of the h5n1-infected peramivir-treated mice, and 70% in the oseltamivir treated mice survived the 15-day study period, as compared to 36% in control (vehicle) group. ferrets were infected intranasally with h5n1 followed by treatment with multiple doses of peramivir. in two of three trials, a statistically significant ...200818234269
the sars-cov ferret model in an infection-challenge study.phase i human clinical studies involving therapeutics for emerging and biodefense pathogens with low incidence, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (sars-cov), requires at a minimum preclinical evaluation of efficacy in two well-characterized and robust animal models. thus, a ferret sars-cov model was evaluated over a period of 58 days following extensive optimization and characterization of the model in order to validate clinical, histopathological, virological and immunol ...200818234270
cloning, expression and characterization of ferret cxcl10.chemokines and their receptors function in the recruitment and activation of cells of the immune system to sites of inflammation. as such, chemokines play an important role in mediating pathophysiological events during microbial infection. in particular, cxcl9, cxcl10 and cxcl11 and their cognate receptor cxcr3 have been associated with the clinical course of several infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) and influenza. while cxcl9, cxcl10 and cxcl11 share the sa ...200818006061
pharmacological characterization of t-2328, 2-fluoro-4'-methoxy-3'-[[[(2s,3s)-2-phenyl-3-piperidinyl]amino]methyl]-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-carbonitrile dihydrochloride, as a brain-penetrating antagonist of tachykinin nk1 receptor.the pharmacological properties of t-2328 were evaluated as an antagonist of the tachykinin neurokinin 1 (nk(1)) receptor. t-2328 inhibited the specific binding of [(3)h][sar(9),met(o(2))(11)]substance p to tachykinin nk(1) receptors in human lymphoblastic im9 cells with k(i) of 0.08 nm. in the same assay, k(i) for aprepitant, a brain-penetrating nk(1) antagonist, was 1.3 nm. the antagonism of t-2328 is highly selective for the human nk(1) receptors since the affinities for human nk(2), nk(3) rec ...200818187929
discovery and characterization of novel tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitors that selectively inhibit serotonin synthesis in the gastrointestinal tract.5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) (5-ht) is a neurotransmitter with both central and peripheral functions, including the modulation of mood, appetite, hemodynamics, gastrointestinal (gi) sensation, secretion, and motility. its synthesis is initiated by the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (tph). two isoforms of tph have been discovered: tph1, primarily expressed in the enterochromaffin cells of the gastrointestinal tract, and tph2, expressed exclusively in neuronal cells. mice lacking tph1 contain li ...200818192499
do cross-modal projections always result in multisensory integration?convergence of afferents from different sensory modalities has generally been thought to produce bimodal (and trimodal) neurons (i.e., exhibit suprathreshold excitation to more than 1 sensory modality). consequently, studies identifying cross-modal connections assume that such convergence results in bimodal (or trimodal) neurons that produce familiar forms of multisensory integration: response enhancement or depression. the present study questioned that assumption by anatomically identifying a p ...200818203695
a unique therapeutic approach to emesis and itch with a proanthocyanidin-rich genonutrient.we examined the therapeutic potential of a proprietary croton palanostigma extract (zangrado(r)) in the management of emesis and itch.200818205911
a comparative analysis of carbon dioxide displacement rates for euthanasia of the ferret.though carbon dioxide asphyxiation is a common method of euthanasia for laboratory animals, species-specific guidelines have not been established for this procedure in the domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo). the authors investigated the efficacy and stress effects of carbon dioxide euthanasia in 24 ferrets that had participated in previous experimental protocols. they euthanized ferrets by placing them in cages that were either prefilled with carbon dioxide or gradually filled at a displace ...200818216799
comparative analysis of cadherin expression and connectivity patterns in the cerebellar system of ferret and mouse.the cerebellum shows remarkable variations in the relative size of its divisions among vertebrate species. in the present study, we compare the cerebella of two mammals (ferret and mouse) by mapping the expression of three cadherins (cadherin-8, protocadherin-7, and protocadherin-10) at similar postnatal stages. the three cadherins are expressed differentially in parasagittal stripes in the cerebellar cortex, in the portions of the deep cerebellar nuclei, in the divisions of the inferior olivary ...200818855899
brainstem sites controlling the lower esophageal sphincter and crural diaphragm in the ferret: a neuroanatomical study.the lower esophageal sphincter (les) and the crural diaphragm (cd) surrounding the esophagogastric junction are key components of the gastroesophageal reflex mechanism, which engages the vago-vagal brainstem circuitry. although both components work in conjunction to prevent gastroesophageal reflux, little is known about the brain area(s) where this integration takes place. the aims of this study were to: (1) trace the brainstem circuitry associated with the cd and the les, and (2) determine poss ...200818986853
developmental validation of a novel lateral flow strip test for rapid identification of human blood (rapid stain identification--blood).human blood is the body fluid most commonly encountered at crime scenes, and blood detection may aid investigators in reconstructing what occurred during a crime. in addition, blood detection can help determine which items of evidence should be processed for dna-str testing. unfortunately, many common substances can cause red-brown stains that resemble blood. furthermore, many current human blood detection methods are presumptive and prone to false positive results. here, the developmental valid ...200819083828
minimal hodgkin-huxley type models for different classes of cortical and thalamic neurons.we review here the development of hodgkin-huxley (hh) type models of cerebral cortex and thalamic neurons for network simulations. the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of cortical neurons were analyzed from several preparations, and we selected the four most prominent electrophysiological classes of neurons. these four classes are "fast spiking", "regular spiking", "intrinsically bursting" and "low-threshold spike" cells. for each class, we fit "minimal" hh type models to experimental d ...200819011929
epibatidine application in vitro blocks retinal waves without silencing all retinal ganglion cell action potentials in developing retina of the mouse and ferret.epibatidine (epi), a potent cholinergic agonist, disrupts acetylcholine-dependent spontaneous retinal activity. early patch-clamp recordings in juvenile ferrets suggested that epi blocks all retinal ganglion cell (rgc) action potentials when applied to the retina. in contrast, recent experiments on the developing mouse that relied on multielectrode array (mea) recordings reported that epi application decorrelates the activity of neighboring rgcs and eliminates retinal waves while preserving the ...200818922954
severe acute respiratory syndrome vaccine efficacy in ferrets: whole killed virus and adenovirus-vectored vaccines.although the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) outbreak was controlled, repeated transmission of sars coronavirus (cov) over several years makes the development of a sars vaccine desirable. we performed a comparative evaluation of two sars vaccines for their ability to protect against live sars-cov intranasal challenge in ferrets. both the whole killed sars-cov vaccine (with and without alum) and adenovirus-based vectors encoding the nucleocapsid (n) and spike (s) protein induced neu ...200818753223
coagulation values in normal ferrets (mustela putorius furo) using selected methods and reagents.accurate determination of commonly measured coagulation values would be useful in the diagnosis and management of coagulopathies in domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo). we are unaware of reports of coagulation times in this species.200818761520
a case of coccygeal chondroid chordoma in a cat: morphological and immunohistochemical features.in august 2007, a 4-year-old, intact, female domestic shorthair cat was examined for a mass on the tip of the tail. histological examination performed after apical caudectomy revealed a neoplasm affecting the distal part of the last coccygeal vertebra. the neoplasm consisted of lobules of physaliferous cells surrounding cartilaginous tissue and a central core of trabecular bone. a diagnosis of chondroid chordoma was made based on histomorphological features and immunohistochemical results. chond ...200818776111
mixed urolith (struvite and calcium oxalate) in a ferret (mustela putorius furo).urolithiasis has been reported in veterinary literature in some species of the mustelidae family, including ferrets. in this species, the most common form of urolithiasis is that caused by struvite. the current study examined the case of mixed urolith in an 8-month-old female ferret (mustela putorius furo) with antecedents of strangury and hematuria. a cystotomy was carried out to remove the urolith, which had a rough surface and a homogeneously porous interior and was formed by a mixture of str ...200818776112
adrenal diseases in ferrets in japan.adrenal diseases are quite common in japanese pet ferrets; however, there have been no reports concerning the epidemiology of ferret adrenal disease in japan. the purpose of this study was to collect epidemiological data on ferret adrenal disease in japan by sending a questionnaire to veterinarians throughout japan. among the 521 cases that met the criteria for this study, 307 were adrenocortical carcinoma (58.9%), 117 were adrenocortical adenoma (22.5%) and 87 were adrenocortical hyperplasia (1 ...200819122398
primary hyperaldosteronism in a domestic ferret with an adrenocortical adenoma.a 6-year-old spayed female domestic ferret was evaluated because of lethargy, alopecia, pruritus, and an abdominal mass.200819180717
phoneme representation and classification in primary auditory cortex.a controversial issue in neurolinguistics is whether basic neural auditory representations found in many animals can account for human perception of speech. this question was addressed by examining how a population of neurons in the primary auditory cortex (a1) of the naive awake ferret encodes phonemes and whether this representation could account for the human ability to discriminate them. when neural responses were characterized and ordered by spectral tuning and dynamics, perceptually signif ...200818247893
opioid modulation of ferret vagal afferent mechanosensitivity.despite universal use of opioids in the clinic to inhibit pain, there is relatively little known of their peripheral actions on sensory nerve endings, where in fact they may be better targeted with more widespread applications. here we show differential effects of mu-, kappa-, and delta-opioids on mechanosensitive ferret esophageal vagal afferent endings investigated in vitro. the effects of selective agonists [d-ala(2),n-me-phe(4),gly-ol(5)]-enkephalin (damgo), 2-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-n-methyl- ...200818258789
cloning, expression and immunoassay detection of ferret ifn-gamma.ferrets (mustela putorius furo) develop symptoms upon influenza infection that resemble those of humans, including sneezing, body temperature variation and weight loss. highly pathogenic strains of influenza a, such as h5n1, have the capacity to cause severe illness or death in ferrets. the use of ferrets as a model of influenza infection is currently limited by a lack of species-specific immunological reagents. interferon gamma (ifn-gamma) plays a key role in the development of innate and adapt ...200818262264
vaccination with f1-v fusion protein protects black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) against plague upon oral challenge with yersinia pestis.previous studies have established that vaccination of black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) with f1-v fusion protein by subcutaneous (sc) injection protects the animals against plague upon injection of the bacterium yersinia pestis. this study demonstrates that the f1-v antigen can also protect ferrets against plague contracted via ingestion of a y. pestis-infected mouse, a probable route for natural infection. eight black-footed ferret kits were vaccinated with f1-v protein by sc injection at ...200818263816
an unidentified filarial species and its impact on fitness in wild populations of the black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes).disease can threaten the restoration of endangered species directly by substantially decreasing host survival or indirectly via incremental decreases in survival and reproduction. during a biomedical survey of reintroduced populations of the highly endangered black-footed ferret from 2002 to 2005, microfilariae discovered in the blood were putatively identified as dirofilaria immitis, and widespread screening was initiated using a commercially available antigen-based elisa test. a subset of anim ...200818263821
clinical aspects of systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome in ferrets (mustela putorius furo).nine ferrets (mustela putorius furo) were diagnosed with systemic granulomatous inflammatory syndrome between 2005 and 2006. common signs included diarrhoea, lethargy, weight loss, and weakness in the hindlimbs. pathological findings consisted of mesenteric lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinaemia and non-regenerative anaemia. the condition was progressive and fatal in all the cases.200818263918
reelin is essential for neuronal migration but not for radial glial elongation in neonatal ferret cortex.numerous functions related to neuronal migration are linked to the glycoprotein reelin. reelin also elongates radial glia, which are disrupted in mutant reeler mice. our lab developed a model of cortical dysplasia in ferrets that shares features with the reeler mouse, including impaired migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex and disrupted radial glia. explants of normal ferret cortex in coculture with dysplastic ferret cortex restore the deficits in this model. to determine if reelin is i ...200818264995
spontaneous pancreatic islet cell tumor in a black and white colobus monkey (colobus guereza kikuyuensis).a 12-year-old, male black and white colobus monkey (colobus guereza kikuyuensis) from a small community zoo presented with a 6-month history of mild, slowly progressive ataxia and paresis culminating in an acute episode of recumbency, depression, and seizures. the animal was humanely euthanatized. gross post-mortem examination revealed significant abnormalities including diffuse pallor of the carcass and a firm, pale, 8-cm diameter mass, adherent to the serosa of the proximal duodenum and colon, ...200818269522
responses of auditory cortex to complex stimuli: functional organization revealed using intrinsic optical signals.we used optical imaging of intrinsic signals to study the large-scale organization of ferret auditory cortex in response to complex sounds. cortical responses were collected during continuous stimulation by sequences of sounds with varying frequency, period, or interaural level differences. we used a set of stimuli that differ in spectral structure, but have the same periodicity and therefore evoke the same pitch percept (click trains, sinusoidally amplitude modulated tones, and iterated ripple ...200818272880
[clinical evaluation of three medetomidine--midazolam--ketamine combinations for neutering of ferrets (mustela putorius furo)].33 ferrets (mustela putorius furo, 11 females, 22 males, asa i-ii) were neutered in a combination anaesthesia with medetomidine, midazolam and ketamine. the animals were randomized into 3 groups. all animals received 20 microg/kg bw medetomidine and 0.5 mg/kg bw midazolam. the three groups differed regarding dosis and way of application of ketamine (im10 = 10 mg/kg bw intramuscularly; im07 = 7 mg/kg bw intramuscularly; sc10 = 10 mg/kg bw subcutaneously). after 30 minutes anaesthesia was partiall ...200818277774
location, architecture, and retinotopy of the anteromedial lateral suprasylvian visual area (amls) of the ferret (mustela putorius).the present paper describes the results of architectural and electrophysiological mapping observations of the medial bank of the suprasylvian sulcus of the ferret immediately caudal to somatosensory regions. the aim was to determine if the ferret possessed a homologous cortical area to the anteromedial lateral suprasylvian visual area (amls) of the domestic cat. we studied the architectural features and visuotopic organization of a region that we now consider to be a homologue to the cat amls. t ...200818282308
injuries inflicted by a pet ferret on a child: morphological aspects and comparison with other mammalian pet bite marks.ferrets are becoming more and more popular pets in american homes. nevertheless, they can cause potentially dangerous injuries, particularly in small children. based on the case of an infant injured by a ferret, the characteristics of the wounds are described and compared with those of other animals. the potential legal implications are also discussed.200818313018
adeno-associated virus-targeted disruption of the cftr gene in cloned ferrets.somatic cell gene targeting combined with nuclear transfer cloning presents tremendous potential for the creation of new, large-animal models of human diseases. mouse disease models often fail to reproduce human phenotypes, underscoring the need for the generation and study of alternative disease models. mice deficient for cftr have been poor models for cystic fibrosis (cf), lacking many aspects of human cf lung disease. in this study, we describe the production of a cftr gene-deficient model in ...200818324338
predator stress induces behavioral inhibition and amygdala somatostatin receptor 2 gene expression.psychological stressors precipitate and maintain stress-induced psychopathology, and it is likely that altered amygdala function underlies some of the deleterious effects of psychological stress. to understand the mechanisms underlying the linkage between the response to psychological stressors and maladaptive or psychopathological responses, we have focused on amygdala responsivity in animal models employing species-specific psychological stressors. in the present study, we characterized the ef ...200818363859
cortical dynamics subserving visual apparent motion.motion can be perceived when static images are successively presented with a spatial shift. this type of motion is an illusion and is termed apparent motion (am). here we show, with a voltage sensitive dye applied to the visual cortex of the ferret, that presentation of a sequence of stationary, short duration, stimuli which are perceived to produce am are, initially, mapped in areas 17 and 18 as separate stationary representations. but time locked to the offset of the 1st stimulus, a sequence o ...200818375528
efficacy of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1% (advocate/advantage multi) against fleas (ctenocephalides felis felis) on ferrets (mustela putorius furo).ferrets (mustela putorius furo) are becoming increasingly popular as pets and are kept in households with other pet animals such as dogs and cats, from which they may catch flea infestations with the predominant flea species ctenocephalides felis. in this study, the efficacy of imidacloprid/moxidectin spot-on (advocate/advantage multi) was investigated in the therapy and prevention of flea infestation in ferrets. sixteen adult ferrets of varying weights and ages and of both sexes were included. ...200818386063
experimental chronic wasting disease (cwd) in the ferret.chronic wasting disease (cwd), a prion disease of north american deer, elk and moose, affects both free-ranging and captive cervids. the potential host range for cwd remains uncertain. the susceptibility of the ferret to cwd was examined experimentally by administering infectious brain material by the intracerebral (ic) or oral (po) route. between 15 and 20 months after ic inoculation, ferrets developed neurological signs consistent with prion disease, including polyphagia, somnolence, piloerect ...200818387626
visual-auditory spatial processing in auditory cortical neurons.neurons responsive to visual stimulation have now been described in the auditory cortex of various species, but their functions are largely unknown. here we investigate the auditory and visual spatial sensitivity of neurons recorded in 5 different primary and non-primary auditory cortical areas of the ferret. we quantified the spatial tuning of neurons by measuring the responses to stimuli presented across a range of azimuthal positions and calculating the mutual information (mi) between the neu ...200818407249
[novel assessment of intracellular calcium transient decay in cardiac muscle by curve-fitting with half-logistic function].a decrease in intracellular calcium (ca2+) concentration in the cardiac muscle is one of the important factors to induce myocardial relaxation. a mono-exponential (m-e) function has been used for assessing myocardial relaxation curve of isometric tension and intracellular calcium transient (cat) decay, and the m-e time constants for the relaxation curve of isometric tension (f tau e) and cat decay (ca tau e) have been recognised as lusitropic indices. however, we found that a half-logistic (h-l) ...200818416193
novel postentry resistance to akv ecotropic mouse gammaretroviruses in the african pygmy mouse, mus minutoides.cells of mus minutoides, an african pygmy mouse of the subgenus nannomys, are susceptible to ecotropic moloney and friend mouse leukemia viruses (mlvs) but not to akv-type mlvs. transfected ma139 ferret cells expressing the mcat-1 cell surface receptor, with the mincat-1 substitutions k222q and v233l, did not restrict akv mlv. the resistance of m. minutoides cells to akv mlv was not relieved by inhibitors of glycosylation or by the introduction of nih 3t3 mcat-1. resistance is thus not mediated ...200818417580
adenosine reduces the reverse mode of the na+/ca(2+) exchanger in ferret cardiac fibres.the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adenosine on reverse mode na+/ca(2+) exchange. in intact ferret cardiac trabeculae, na+-free contractures were investigated after treating preparations with ryanodine, a sarcoplasmic reticulum ca(2+) -channel inhibitor, and thapsigargin, a sarcoplasmic reticulum ca(2+) -pump inhibitor added to suppress the sarcoplasmic reticulum function. the effects of adenosine (50-100 nmol/l), adenosine deaminase (ada, 0.1-0.5 u/l), the a1 and a2a recept ...200818418446
severe seasonal influenza in ferrets correlates with reduced interferon and increased il-6 induction.even though ferrets are one of the principal animal models for influenza pathogenesis, the lack of suitable immunological reagents has so far limited their use in host response studies. using recently established real-time pcr assays for a panel of ferret cytokines, we analyzed the local ferret immune response to human influenza isolates of the h1n1 and h3n2 subtypes that varied in their virulence. we observed that the severity of clinical signs correlated with gross- and histopathological chang ...200818420248
oseltamivir prophylactic regimens prevent h5n1 influenza morbidity and mortality in a ferret model.current oseltamivir prophylactic regimens may not be as effective against highly pathogenic h5n1 influenza viruses as they are against less pathogenic strains. an optimal regimen is urgently needed.200818422444
clinicopathologic features of a systemic coronavirus-associated disease resembling feline infectious peritonitis in the domestic ferret (mustela putorius).from 2002 to 2007, 23 ferrets from europe and the united states were diagnosed with systemic pyogranulomatous inflammation resembling feline infectious peritonitis (fip). the average age at the time of diagnosis was 11 months. the disease was progressive in all cases, and average duration of clinical illness was 67 days. common clinical findings were anorexia, weight loss, diarrhea, and large, palpable intra-abdominal masses; less frequent findings included hind limb paresis, central nervous sys ...200818424841
migration of transplanted neural progenitor cells in a ferret model of cortical dysplasia.although altered gene expression clearly causes failure of the neocortex to form properly, many causes of neocortical dysplasia arise from environmental or unknown factors. our lab studies a model of cortical dysplasia induced by injection of methylazoxymethanol (mam) into pregnant ferrets on embryonic day 33 (e33), which shares many features of neocortical dysplasia in humans. e33 mam treatment results in characteristic deficits that include dramatic reduction of layer 4 in somatosensory cortex ...200818061166
stimulus-dependent interaction between the visual areas 17 and 18 of the 2 hemispheres of the ferret (mustela putorius).to study how the visual areas of the 2 hemispheres interact in processing visual stimuli we have recorded local field potentials in the callosally connected parts of areas 17 and 18 of the ferret during the presentation of 3 kinds of stimuli: 2.5 degrees squares flashed for 50 ms randomly in the visual field (s1), 4 full-field gratings differing in orientation by 45 degrees and identical in the 2 hemifields (s2) and gratings as above but whose orientation and/or direction of motion differed by 9 ...200818065720
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