Publications

chf6001 ii: a novel phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, suitable for topical pulmonary administration--in vivo preclinical pharmacology profile defines a potent anti-inflammatory compound with a wide therapeutic window.	chf6001 [(s)-3,5-dichloro-4-(2-(3-(cyclopropylmethoxy)-4-(difluoromethoxy)phenyl)-2-(3-(cyclopropylmethoxy)-4-(methylsulfonamido)benzoyloxy)ethyl)pyridine 1-oxide] is a novel phosphodiesterase 4 (pde4) inhibitor designed for use in pulmonary diseases by inhaled administration. intratracheal administration of chf6001 to ovalbumin-sensitized brown-norway rats suppressed the antigen-induced decline of lung functions (ed50 = 0.1 µmol/kg) and antigen-induced eosinophilia (ed50 = 0.03 µmol/kg) when ad ...	2015	25576073
rhythmic 3-4hz discharge is insufficient to produce cortical bold fmri decreases in generalized seizures.	absence seizures are transient episodes of impaired consciousness accompanied by 3-4 hz spike-wave discharge on electroencephalography (eeg). human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri) studies have demonstrated widespread cortical decreases in the blood oxygen-level dependent (bold) signal that may play an important role in the pathophysiology of these seizures. animal models could provide an opportunity to investigate the fundamental mechanisms of these changes, however they have so far ...	2015	25562830
comparison of a ferret model with an inanimate simulator for training novices in techniques for intubating neonates.	simulators for neonatal intubation training have improved, prompting us to compare a state-of-the-art simulator with live ferrets for training novice family-medicine residents in this crucial skill. after a scripted didactic presentation, we used a crossover study design and randomly assigned residents to receive simulator or live ferret training, after which they repeated the procedure by using the opposite method. participants were asked to report their level of confidence and competence befor ...	2015	26045454
animal models of adrenocortical tumorigenesis.	this comparative review highlights animal models of adrenocortical neoplasia useful either for mechanistic studies or translational research. three model species-mouse, ferret, and dog-are detailed. the relevance of each of these models to spontaneous and inherited adrenocortical tumors in humans is discussed.	2015	26038202
sexual dimorphism of sulcal morphology of the ferret cerebrum revealed by mri-based sulcal surface morphometry.	the present study quantitatively assessed sexual dimorphism of cortical convolution and sulcal morphology in young adult ferrets by mri-based sulcal surface morphometry. ex vivo t1-weighted (short tr/te) mri of the ferret cerebrum was acquired with high spatial resolution at 7-tesla. the degree of cortical convolution, evaluated quantitatively based on 3d mri data by sulcation index (si), was significantly greater in males (0.553 ± 0.036) than in females (0.502 ± 0.043) (p < 0.001). the rostroca ...	2015	25999821
the role of spectral cues in timbre discrimination by ferrets and humans.	timbre distinguishes sounds of equal loudness, pitch, and duration; however, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying timbre perception. such understanding requires animal models such as the ferret in which neuronal and behavioral observation can be combined. the current study asked what spectral cues ferrets use to discriminate between synthetic vowels. ferrets were trained to discriminate vowels differing in the position of the first (f1) and second formants (f2), inter-formant d ...	2015	25994714
discrete domains of gene expression in germinal layers distinguish the development of gyrencephaly.	gyrencephalic species develop folds in the cerebral cortex in a stereotypic manner, but the genetic mechanisms underlying this patterning process are unknown. we present a large-scale transcriptomic analysis of individual germinal layers in the developing cortex of the gyrencephalic ferret, comparing between regions prospective of fold and fissure. we find unique transcriptional signatures in each germinal compartment, where thousands of genes are differentially expressed between regions, includ ...	2015	25916825
ferret wellness management and environmental enrichment.	the domestic ferret is a commonly kept companion animal. knowledge of proper husbandry of companion ferrets and their common disease processes by veterinarians assists pet owners in providing the healthiest environment possible. attentiveness to the environmental needs of pet ferrets results in physically and psychologically healthy animals and a positive, enriched relationship with owners.	2015	25902271
retrocaval ureter in a ferret.		2015	25819617
ferret models of viral pathogenesis.	emerging and well-known viral diseases remain one the most important global public health threats. a better understanding of their pathogenesis and mechanisms of transmission requires animal models that accurately reproduce these aspects of the disease. here we review the role of ferrets as an animal model for the pathogenesis of different respiratory viruses with an emphasis on influenza and paramyxoviruses. we will describe the anatomic and physiologic characteristics that contribute to the na ...	2015	25816764
coevolution of radial glial cells and the cerebral cortex.	radial glia cells play fundamental roles in the development of the cerebral cortex, acting both as the primary stem and progenitor cells, as well as the guides for neuronal migration and lamination. these critical functions of radial glia cells in cortical development have been discovered mostly during the last 15 years and, more recently, seminal studies have demonstrated the existence of a remarkable diversity of additional cortical progenitor cell types, including a variety of basal radial gl ...	2015	25808466
epibatidine blocks eye-specific segregation in ferret dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus during stage iii retinal waves.	the segregation and maintenance of eye-specific inputs in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dlgn) during early postnatal development requires the patterned spontaneous activity of retinal waves. in contrast to the development of the mouse, ferret eye-specific segregation is not complete at the start of stage iii glutamatergic retinal waves, and the remaining overlap is limited to the c/c1 lamina of the dlgn. to investigate the role of patterned spontaneous activity in this late segregation, ...	2015	25794280
optimization of recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated expression for large transgenes, using a synthetic promoter and tandem array enhancers.	the packaging capacity of recombinant adeno-associated viral (raav) vectors limits the size of the promoter that can be used to express the 4.43-kb cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) cdna. to circumvent this limitation, we screened a set of 100-mer synthetic enhancer elements, composed of ten 10-bp repeats, for their ability to augment cftr transgene expression from a short 83-bp synthetic promoter in the context of an raav vector designed for use in the cystic fibrosis ( ...	2015	25763813
single-cell analysis reveals transcriptional heterogeneity of neural progenitors in human cortex.	the human cerebral cortex depends for its normal development and size on a precisely controlled balance between self-renewal and differentiation of diverse neural progenitor cells. specialized progenitors that are common in humans but virtually absent in rodents, called outer radial glia (org), have been suggested to be crucial to the evolutionary expansion of the human cortex. we combined progenitor subtype-specific sorting with transcriptome-wide rna sequencing to identify genes enriched in hu ...	2015	25734491
single-unit analysis of somatosensory processing in the core auditory cortex of hearing ferrets.	the recent findings in several species that the primary auditory cortex processes non-auditory information have largely overlooked the possibility of somatosensory effects. therefore, the present investigation examined the core auditory cortices (anterior auditory field and primary auditory cortex) for tactile responsivity. multiple single-unit recordings from anesthetised ferret cortex yielded histologically verified neurons (n = 311) tested with electronically controlled auditory, visual and t ...	2015	25728185
ferret and pig models of cystic fibrosis: prospects and promise for gene therapy.	large animal models of genetic diseases are rapidly becoming integral to biomedical research as technologies to manipulate the mammalian genome improve. the creation of cystic fibrosis (cf) ferrets and pigs is an example of such progress in animal modeling, with the disease phenotypes in the ferret and pig models more reflective of human cf disease than mouse models. the ferret and pig cf models also provide unique opportunities to develop and assess the effectiveness of gene and cell therapies ...	2015	25675143
modular representation of luminance polarity in the superficial layers of primary visual cortex.	the spatial arrangement of luminance increments (on) and decrements (off) falling on the retina provides a wealth of information used by central visual pathways to construct coherent representations of visual scenes. but how the polarity of luminance change is represented in the activity of cortical circuits remains unclear. using wide-field epifluorescence and two-photon imaging we demonstrate a robust modular representation of luminance polarity (on or off) in the superficial layers of ferret ...	2015	26590348
a division of light and dark in the visual cortex.	the fate of on-off receptive field segregation in the visual cortex has long eluded scrutiny. in this issue of neuron, smith et al. (2015) now reveal the intricate relationship between luminance polarity and orientation selectivity in the upper layers of ferret visual cortex.	2015	26590338
crispr/cas9-mediated genome engineering of the ferret.		2015	26565559
civility in scientific publishing: the glyphosate paper.	in recent years, we have witnessed a decline in civility in the public arena when various socially sensitive issues are being presented. those of us engaged in the publishing of scientific papers and in our comments on these papers, need to be cognizant of the social graces, courteous demeanor, and chivalry. debates are essential to our learning and in being able to ferret out the essentials of various scientific issues that are of value. because of the amount of time and effort connected with a ...	2015	26543672
reconstruction of audio waveforms from spike trains of artificial cochlea models.	spiking cochlea models describe the analog processing and spike generation process within the biological cochlea. reconstructing the audio input from the artificial cochlea spikes is therefore useful for understanding the fidelity of the information preserved in the spikes. the reconstruction process is challenging particularly for spikes from the mixed signal (analog/digital) integrated circuit (ic) cochleas because of multiple non-linearities in the model and the additional variance caused by ...	2015	26528113
neuronal migration dynamics in the developing ferret cortex.	during mammalian neocortical development, newborn excitatory and inhibitory neurons must migrate over long distances to reach their final positions within the cortical plate. in the lissencephalic rodent brain, pyramidal neurons are born in the ventricular and subventricular zones of the pallium and migrate along radial glia fibers to reach the appropriate cortical layer. although much less is known about neuronal migration in species with a gyrencephalic cortex, retroviral studies in the ferret ...	2015	26490868
pathophysiological analyses of cortical malformation using gyrencephalic mammals.	one of the most prominent features of the cerebral cortex of higher mammals is the presence of gyri. because malformations of the cortical gyri are associated with severe disability in brain function, the mechanisms underlying malformations of the cortical gyri have been of great interest. combining gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets and genetic manipulations using in utero electroporation, here we successfully recapitulated the cortical phenotypes of thanatophoric dysplasia (td) by expressing fibr ...	2015	26482531
relationship between haemagglutination inhibition titre and immunity to influenza in ferrets.	our understanding of the antigenic evolution of the human influenza virus is chiefly derived from experiments in which serum from influenza infected ferrets is tested against panels of virus isolates in the haemagglutination inhibition (hi) assay. the interpretation of these results has been much aided by the development of antigenic mapping techniques, which suppose that the antigenic distance between two different influenza viruses is directly proportional to their fold-difference in titre in ...	2015	26342848
overexpression of serum response factor in neurons restores ocular dominance plasticity in a model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.	deficits in neuronal plasticity underlie many neurobehavioral and cognitive problems presented in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (fasd). our laboratory has developed a ferret model showing that early alcohol exposure leads to a persistent disruption in ocular dominance plasticity (odp). for instance, a few days of monocular deprivation results in a robust reduction of visual cortex neurons' responsiveness to stimulation of the deprived eye in normal animals, but not in ferrets with early alcoho ...	2015	26342644
a dunnione compound mb12662 improves cisplatin-induced tissue injury and emesis.	the present study was aimed to investigate the effects of mb12662, a synthetic dunnione compound, on cisplatin-induced vomiting reflexes and intestinal, renal, immune system, and hematopoietic toxicities in ferrets and mice, respectively. male icr mice were orally administered mb12662 (5, 10, 25 or 50 mg/kg) for 10 days, during which intraperitoneally challenged with cisplatin (3.5 mg/kg) from day 4 to 7, and sacrificed on day 10 for the pathological examination. male ferrets were orally adminis ...	2015	26336585
brain oxygen tension controls the expansion of outer subventricular zone-like basal progenitors in the developing mouse brain.	the mammalian neocortex shows a conserved six-layered structure that differs between species in the total number of cortical neurons produced owing to differences in the relative abundance of distinct progenitor populations. recent studies have identified a new class of proliferative neurogenic cells in the outer subventricular zone (osvz) in gyrencephalic species such as primates and ferrets. lissencephalic brains of mice possess fewer osvz-like progenitor cells and these do not constitute a di ...	2015	26329599
long-term contraception in a small implant: a review of suprelorin (deslorelin) studies in cats.	deslorelin (suprelorin®; virbac) is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) agonist licensed in select countries for the long-term suppression of fertility in adult male dogs and male ferrets. this article summarizes studies investigating the use of deslorelin implants for the long-term suppression of fertility in male and female domestic cats.	2015	26323800
innate immunity and the inter-exposure interval determine the dynamics of secondary influenza virus infection and explain observed viral hierarchies.	influenza is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the respiratory system. innate immunity provides both a very early defense to influenza virus invasion and an effective control of viral growth. previous modelling studies of virus-innate immune response interactions have focused on infection with a single virus and, while improving our understanding of viral and immune dynamics, have been unable to effectively evaluate the relative feasibility of different hypothesised mechanisms of anti ...	2015	26284917
imaging the dynamics of mammalian neocortical population activity in-vivo.	neural computations underlying sensory perception, cognition and motor control are performed by populations of neurons at different anatomical and temporal scales. few techniques are currently available for exploring dynamics of local and large range populations. voltage-sensitive dye imaging (vsdi) reveals neural population activity in areas ranging from a few tens of microns to a couple of centimeters, or two areas up to ~10 cm apart. vsdi provides a sub-millisecond temporal resolution, and a ...	2015	26238056
oseltamivir inhibits influenza virus replication and transmission following ocular-only aerosol inoculation of ferrets.	ocular exposure to influenza virus represents an alternate route of virus entry capable of establishing a respiratory infection in mammals, but the effectiveness of currently available antiviral treatments to limit virus replication within ocular tissue or inhibit virus spread from ocular sites to the respiratory tract is poorly understood. using an inoculation method that delivers an aerosol inoculum exclusively to the ocular surface, we demonstrate that oral oseltamivir administration followin ...	2015	26142497
computer-aided pulmonary image analysis in small animal models.	to develop an automated pulmonary image analysis framework for infectious lung diseases in small animal models.	2015	26133591
animal models for influenza virus transmission studies: a historical perspective.	animal models are used to simulate, under experimental conditions, the complex interactions among host, virus, and environment that affect the person-to-person spread of influenza viruses. the three species that have been most frequently employed, both past and present, as influenza virus transmission models-ferrets, mice, and guinea pigs-have each provided unique insights into the factors governing the efficiency with which these viruses pass from an infected host to a susceptible one. this rev ...	2015	26126082
video otoscopy in exotic companion mammals.	ear disease is a common disorder seen in exotic companion mammals, especially in ferrets, rabbits, and rats. this article describes patient preparation, equipment, and video otoscopy technique in exotic companion mammals. this noninvasive technique facilitates accurate diagnosis of diseases affecting the external ear canal or middle ear. moreover, therapeutic otoscopic evaluation of the external ear facilitates foreign body removal, external ear canal flushing, intralesional drug administration, ...	2015	26117517
multi-dimensional measurement of antibody-mediated heterosubtypic immunity to influenza.	the human immune response to influenza vaccination depends in part on preexisting cross-reactive (heterosubtypic) immunity from previous infection by, and/or vaccination with, influenza strains that share antigenic determinants with the vaccine strains. however, current methods for assessing heterosubtypic antibody responses against influenza, including the hemagglutination-inhibition (hai) assay and elisa, are time and labor intensive, and require moderate amounts of serum and reagents. to addr ...	2015	26103163
auditory gap-in-noise detection behavior in ferrets and humans.	the precise encoding of temporal features of auditory stimuli by the mammalian auditory system is critical to the perception of biologically important sounds, including vocalizations, speech, and music. in this study, auditory gap-detection behavior was evaluated in adult pigmented ferrets (mustelid putorius furo) using bandpassed stimuli designed to widely sample the ferret's behavioral and physiological audiogram. animals were tested under positive operant conditioning, with psychometric funct ...	2015	26052794
statistical frequency-dependent analysis of trial-to-trial variability in single time series by recurrence plots.	for decades, research in neuroscience has supported the hypothesis that brain dynamics exhibits recurrent metastable states connected by transients, which together encode fundamental neural information processing. to understand the system's dynamics it is important to detect such recurrence domains, but it is challenging to extract them from experimental neuroscience datasets due to the large trial-to-trial variability. the proposed methodology extracts recurrent metastable states in univariate ...	2015	26834580
visually evoked spiking evolves while spontaneous ongoing dynamics persist.	neurons in the primary visual cortex spontaneously spike even when there are no visual stimuli. it is unknown whether the spiking evoked by visual stimuli is just a modification of the spontaneous ongoing cortical spiking dynamics or whether the spontaneous spiking state disappears and is replaced by evoked spiking. this study of laminar recordings of spontaneous spiking and visually evoked spiking of neurons in the ferret primary visual cortex shows that the spiking dynamics does not change: th ...	2015	26778982
anesthesia-related changes in information transfer may be caused by reduction in local information generation.	in anesthesia research it is an open question how general anesthetics lead to loss of consciousness (loc). it has been proposed that loc may be caused by the disruption of cortical information processing, preventing information integration. therefore, recent studies investigating information processing under anesthesia focused on changes in information transfer, measured by transfer entropy (te). however, often this complex technique was not applied rigorously, using time series in symbolic repr ...	2015	26737182
spatial interactions between sympatric carnivores: asymmetric avoidance of an intraguild predator.	interactions between intraguild species that act as both competitors and predator-prey can be especially complex. we studied patterns of space use by the black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes), a prairie dog (cynomys spp.) specialist, and the american badger (taxidea taxus), a larger generalist carnivore that competes for prairie dogs and is known to kill ferrets. we expected that ferrets would spatially avoid badgers because of the risk of predation, that these patterns of avoidance might diffe ...	2015	26306165
effect of dietary vitamin e and prey supplementation on semen quality in male black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes).	over the recent years, the captive population of the endangered black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes; ferret) has experienced a decline in normal sperm (ns) morphology (from 50% to 16%), which may be linked to inbreeding depression or it may have been a dietary change. we examined the role of dietary vitamin e, selenium (se), and vitamin a on serum levels of vitamin e, se, and vitamin a and semen quality. ferrets (n = 55 males) were randomly assigned to one of five diet treatments (n = 11 per t ...	2015	25890779
novel calicivirus from a ferret badger (melogale moschata) in china.	we describe the isolation and complete genome sequence of a new calicivirus, fbcv-jx12, isolated from a ferret badger (melogale moschata). comparison of fbcv-jx12 with other vesiviruses revealed that it shared the highest amino acid sequence identities of 71.6, 60.5, and 59.3% in the nonstructural protein, vp1, and vp2, respectively, with mcv-dl2007 (mink calicivirus). phylogenetic analysis of the whole genomic sequence showed that it clustered most closely with mcv-dl2007 of the genus vesivirus ...	2015	25976558
histologic examination of teeth with necrotic pulps and periapical lesions treated with 2 scaffolds: an animal investigation.	traditional pulp regeneration procedures that use a blood clot as a scaffold have produced histologic evidence of bone, cementum, and connective tissue growth within the root. platelet-rich plasma (prp) is a bioactive scaffold containing growth factors that enhance wound healing.	2015	25749255
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
systemic coronaviral disease in 5 ferrets.	the prevalence of reported systemic coronaviral disease in ferrets (mustela putorius furo), which resembles the dry form of feline infectious peritonitis, has been increasing in the literature since its initial diagnosis and characterization approximately 10 y ago. here we describe the clinical signs, pathologic findings, and diagnosis by immunohistochemistry using an fipv3-70 monoclonal antibody of systemic coronaviral disease in 5 ferrets, 2 of which were strictly laboratory-housed; the remain ...	2015	26678368
increasing spontaneous retinal activity before eye opening accelerates the development of geniculate receptive fields.	visually evoked activity is necessary for the normal development of the visual system. however, little is known about the capacity for patterned spontaneous activity to drive the maturation of receptive fields before visual experience. retinal waves provide instructive retinotopic information for the anatomical organization of the visual thalamus. to determine whether retinal waves also drive the maturation of functional responses, we increased the frequency of retinal waves pharmacologically in ...	2015	26511250
[the first report of a disseminated idiopathic myofasciitis in a ferret (mustela putorius furo) from germany].	a 1.5 year old neutered male pet ferret (mustela putorius furo) was presented with a sudden onset of severe weakness. the ferret was kept with three healthy mates, was vaccinated against distemper regularly and was never ill before presentation. clinically, the ferret was depressed, had a hyperthermia of 40.3 degrees c, tachypnea and ocular as well as nasal discharge. blood work revealed a mild neutropenia, blood chemistry a hyperglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hy ...	2015	25876287
cortico-cortical connectivity within ferret auditory cortex.	despite numerous studies of auditory cortical processing in the ferret (mustela putorius), very little is known about the connections between the different regions of the auditory cortex that have been characterized cytoarchitectonically and physiologically. we examined the distribution of retrograde and anterograde labeling after injecting tracers into one or more regions of ferret auditory cortex. injections of different tracers at frequency-matched locations in the core areas, the primary aud ...	2015	25845831
awake vs. anesthetized: layer-specific sensory processing in visual cortex and functional connectivity between cortical areas.	during general anesthesia, global brain activity and behavioral state are profoundly altered. yet it remains mostly unknown how anesthetics alter sensory processing across cortical layers and modulate functional cortico-cortical connectivity. to address this gap in knowledge of the micro- and mesoscale effects of anesthetics on sensory processing in the cortical microcircuit, we recorded multiunit activity and local field potential in awake and anesthetized ferrets (mustela putoris furo) during ...	2015	25833839
constant rate infusion of glucagon as an emergency treatment for hypoglycemia in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 3-year-old female domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) with an insulinoma was treated because of a hypoglycemic crisis prior to scheduled pancreatectomy with concurrent nodulectomy.	2015	25632820
flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy in ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	gastrointestinal disease is a common complaint in ferrets (mustela putorius furo). their relatively simple and short gastrointestinal tract makes them good candidates for flexible endoscopy. however, apart from a few references in biomedical research articles, there is little information on the use of flexible endoscopy in ferrets. this review describes patient preparation, equipment, and select gastrointestinal endoscopy techniques in ferrets, including esophagoscopy, gastroscopy, duodenoscopy, ...	2015	26335999
cervical chordoma in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) with pulmonary metastasis.	a 4-year-old, male neutered domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) was evaluated for a mass in the left cervical region. the owner elected humane euthanasia, and an autopsy was performed, revealing a neoplasm with infiltration into the left cranial articular fovea of the atlas and cervical vertebrae, with regional compression of the spinal cord. histologic evaluation was consistent with cervical chordoma. at autopsy, a left cranial lung lobe nodule was observed. additional sectioning and histol ...	2015	26330397
first case of systemic coronavirus infection in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) in peru.	a domestic ferret from lima, peru, died after ten days of non-specific clinical signs. based on pathology, immunohistochemistry and molecular analysis, ferret systemic coronavirus (frscv)-associated disease was diagnosed for the first time in south america. this report highlights the potential spread of pathogens by the international pet trade.	2015	26301572
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	26297407
transient diabetes mellitus in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 3.5-year-old spayed female ferret, fed a diet high in refined sugar, was referred for lethargy, polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. diabetic ketoacidosis was diagnosed. treatment included insulin therapy and a low carbohydrate diet. diabetes mellitus resolved 54 d later, and insulin therapy was discontinued. there has been no recurrence of the diabetes mellitus.	2015	26130836
is the ferret a suitable species for studying perinatal brain injury?	complications of prematurity often disrupt normal brain development and/or cause direct damage to the developing brain, resulting in poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. physiologically relevant animal models of perinatal brain injury can advance our understanding of these influences and thereby provide opportunities to develop therapies and improve long-term outcomes. while there are advantages to currently available small animal models, there are also significant drawbacks that have limited trans ...	2015	26102988
male prevalent enhancement of leftward asymmetric development of the cerebellar cortex in ferrets (mustela putorius).	the present study was conducted in mri-based volumetry to characterize the sexual dimorphism of the cerebellum in young adult ferrets. high spatial resolution 3d anatomical mri at 7-tesla were acquired ex vivo from fixed cerebella of 90-day-old male and female ferrets. the 3d morphology and topology of cerebellar structures were reproduced well by volume-rendered images obtained from mri. volume of the whole cerebellum was significantly larger in males than in females. the cerebellar cortex was ...	2015	26102223
crossmodal integration improves sensory detection thresholds in the ferret.	during the last two decades ferrets (mustela putorius) have been established as a highly efficient animal model in different fields in neuroscience. here we asked whether ferrets integrate sensory information according to the same principles established for other species. since only few methods and protocols are available for behaving ferrets we developed a head-free, body-restrained approach allowing a standardized stimulation position and the utilization of the ferret's natural response behavi ...	2015	25970327
fine-tuning of neurogenesis is essential for the evolutionary expansion of the cerebral cortex.	we used several animal models to study global and regional cortical surface expansion: the lissencephalic mouse, gyrencephalic normal ferrets, in which the parietal cortex expands more than the temporal cortex, and moderately lissencephalic ferrets, showing a similar degree of temporal and parietal expansion. we found that overall cortical surface expansion is achieved when specific events occur prior to surpragranular layer formation. (1) the subventricular zone (svz) shows substantial growth, ...	2015	23968831
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
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
isolation, characterization, and functional analysis of ferret lymphatic endothelial cells.	the lymphatic endothelium (le) serves as a conduit for transport of immune cells and soluble antigens from peripheral tissues to draining lymph nodes (lns), contributing to development of host immune responses and possibly dissemination of microbes. lymphatic endothelial cells (lecs) are major constituents of the lymphatic endothelium. these specialized cells could play important roles in initiation of host innate immune responses through sensing of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (pamps) ...	2015	25540877
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
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
the essential complexity of auditory receptive fields.	encoding properties of sensory neurons are commonly modeled using linear finite impulse response (fir) filters. for the auditory system, the fir filter is instantiated in the spectro-temporal receptive field (strf), often in the framework of the generalized linear model. despite widespread use of the fir strf, numerous formulations for linear filters are possible that require many fewer parameters, potentially permitting more efficient and accurate model estimates. to explore these alternative s ...	2015	26683490
rapid task-related plasticity of spectrotemporal receptive fields in the auditory midbrain.	previous research has demonstrated that auditory cortical neurons can modify their receptive fields when animals engage in auditory detection tasks. we tested for this form of task-related plasticity in the inferior colliculus (ic) of ferrets trained to detect a pure tone target in a sequence of noise distractors that did not overlap in time. during behavior, responses were suppressed at the target tone frequency in approximately half of ic neurons relative to the passive state. this suppression ...	2015	26400939
a modern syllogistic method in intuitionistic fuzzy logic with realistic tautology.	the modern syllogistic method (msm) of propositional logic ferrets out from a set of premises all that can be concluded from it in the most compact form. the msm combines the premises into a single function equated to 1 and then produces the complete product of this function. two fuzzy versions of msm are developed in ordinary fuzzy logic (ofl) and in intuitionistic fuzzy logic (ifl) with these logics augmented by the concept of realistic fuzzy tautology (rft) which is a variable whose truth exc ...	2015	26380357
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
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
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
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
survey of zoonotic dermatoses in client-owned exotic pet mammals in southern italy.	several 'exotic' mammalian species (e.g. rabbits, rodents, ferrets and hedgehogs) live in close proximity to humans as companion pets. skin diseases (sd) are frequent causes of morbidity in exotic pet mammals, and most of those sds have a zoonotic potential. the purpose of this study was to determine the frequencies and types of zoonotic dermatosis (zd) in client-owned, exotic pet mammals in southern italy. six-hundred and fifty-five medical records of exotic pet mammals examined between 2011 an ...	2015	24506806
imaging visual cortical structure and function in vivo.	the recent advent of in vivo two-photon microscopy has allowed the repeat imaging of cortical structures at microscopic resolution within intact brains. recent data obtained using this imaging technique shows that dendritic spines, the postsynaptic sites of the majority of excitatory synapses in the central nervous system (cns), rapidly remodel in response to changes in the visual environment. we combined two-photon microscopy of dendritic segments with intrinsic signal imaging of visual cortica ...	2016	23733120
soy isoflavone metabolism in cats compared with other species: urinary metabolite concentrations and glucuronidation by liver microsomes.	1. soybean is a common source of protein in many pet foods. slow glucuronidation of soy-derived isoflavones in cats has been hypothesized to result in accumulation with adverse health consequences. here, we evaluated species' differences in soy isoflavone glucuronidation using urine samples from cats and dogs fed a soy-based diet and liver microsomes from cats compared with microsomes from 12 other species. 2. significant concentrations of conjugated (but not unconjugated) genistein, daidzein an ...	2016	26366946
optogenetic spatial and temporal control of cortical circuits on a columnar scale.	many circuits in the mammalian brain are organized in a topographic or columnar manner. these circuits could be activated-in ways that reveal circuit function or restore function after disease-by an artificial stimulation system that is capable of independently driving local groups of neurons. here we present a simple custom microscope called projectorscope 1 that incorporates off-the-shelf parts and a liquid crystal display (lcd) projector to stimulate surface brain regions that express channel ...	2016	26631152
echocardiographic measurements in clinically healthy ferrets anesthetized with isoflurane.	two-dimensional, m4-mode, and color flow doppler echocardiography was performed in 29 (18 females, 11 males) clinically healthy ferrets anesthetized with isoflurane. m-mode measurements of the left ventricle, left atrial appendage diameter (laad), and aorta (ao) were obtained. the fractional shortening and laad/ao ratio were calculated. the values of the m-mode measurements were compared between the male and female ferrets using a student's t-test. no significant differences were found. the diff ...	2016	15200261
little thief: the domestic ferret.	three illnesses appear commonly in pet ferrets: cardiomyopathies insulinoma, and adrenal associated endocrinopathy. treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy include ace inhibitors, and furosemide is recommended for the treatment for long-term diuresis treatment of congestive heart failure. insulinoma, cancer of the pancreas, is the most common neoplasm of the american ferret, often times treated by surgically excising the cancerous lobes, optionally can be treated with steroids that suppress insulin ...	2016	23966531
scout's story: a case report on treating congestive heart failure in a ferret.	this case study reports on a ferret diagnosted with congestive heart failure. the veterinarians treated it with a compounded enalapril syrup successfully. radiographs of the thorax of the ferret are shown along with a photo of the ferret receiving her daily oral medication via oral syringe.	2016	23966533
ultrasonographic visualization of the adrenal glands of healthy ferrets and ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism.	a protocol was developed to compare the ultrasonographic characteristics of the adrenal glands of 21 healthy ferrets and 37 ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism. by using specific landmarks, the adrenal glands were imaged in 97% of the cases. the adrenal glands of ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism had a significantly increased thickness, with changes in shape, structure, and echogenicity compared to the adrenal glands of healthy ferrets. based on the findings of the study, adrenal glands may be cla ...	2016	17339284
s-phase duration is the main target of cell cycle regulation in neural progenitors of developing ferret neocortex.	the evolutionary expansion of the neocortex primarily reflects increases in abundance and proliferative capacity of cortical progenitors and in the length of the neurogenic period during development. cell cycle parameters of neocortical progenitors are an important determinant of cortical development. the ferret (mustela putorius furo), a gyrencephalic mammal, has gained increasing importance as a model for studying corticogenesis. here, we have studied the abundance, proliferation, and cell cyc ...	2016	25963823
pyogranulomatous panophthalmitis with systemic coronavirus disease in a domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 15-month-old spayed female ferret (mustela putorius furo) presented for lethargy and weight loss of 2 weeks duration. upon physical examination, a 2-mm-diameter focal area of opacity was noted in the left cornea. in addition, the ferret was quiet, in poor body condition, and dehydrated. a complete blood count and plasma biochemistry revealed a severe nonregenerative anemia, azotemia, hyperproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and mild hyperphosphatemia and hyperchloremia. urinalysis revealed hyposthen ...	2016	25918975
structural and functional connectivity between the lateral posterior-pulvinar complex and primary visual cortex in the ferret.	the role of higher-order thalamic structures in sensory processing remains poorly understood. here, we used the ferret (mustela putorius furo) as a novel model species for the study of the lateral posterior (lp)-pulvinar complex and its structural and functional connectivity with area 17 [primary visual cortex (v1)]. we found reciprocal anatomical connections between the lateral part of the lp nucleus of the lp-pulvinar complex (lpl) and v1. in order to investigate the role of this feedback loop ...	2016	26505737
imaging findings in 14 domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo) with lymphoma.	lymphoma is the most common malignant neoplasia in domestic ferrets, mustela putorius furo. however, imaging findings in ferrets with lymphoma have primarily been described in single case reports. the purpose of this retrospective study was to describe imaging findings in a group of ferrets with confirmed lymphoma. medical records were searched between 2002 and 2012. a total of 14 ferrets were included. radiographs (n = 12), ultrasound (n = 14), computed tomography (ct; n = 1), and magnetic reso ...	2016	23738830
[research advances in the porcine deltacoronavirus].	the deltacoronavirus is a new member of the subfamily coronaviridae of the family coronaviridae. deltacoronaviruses can infect birds and mammals. deltacoronaviruses were detected in early 2007 in asian leopard cats and chinese ferret badgers. in 2014, porcine deltacoronavirus (pdcov) infection spread rapidly in the usa. moreover, cell culture-adapted pdcov has been obtained from infected piglets. animal experiments have confirmed that the isolated pdcov is highly pathogenic and causes severe dia ...	2016	27396171
structure and function analysis of an antibody recognizing all influenza a subtypes.	influenza virus remains a threat because of its ability to evade vaccine-induced immune responses due to antigenic drift. here, we describe the isolation, evolution, and structure of a broad-spectrum human monoclonal antibody (mab), medi8852, effectively reacting with all influenza a hemagglutinin (ha) subtypes. medi8852 uses the heavy-chain vh6-1 gene and has higher potency and breadth when compared to other anti-stem antibodies. medi8852 is effective in mice and ferrets with a therapeutic wind ...	2016	27453466
a polyvalent influenza dna vaccine applied by needle-free intradermal delivery induces cross-reactive humoral and cellular immune responses in pigs.	pigs are natural hosts for influenza a viruses, and the infection is widely prevalent in swine herds throughout the world. current commercial influenza vaccines for pigs induce a narrow immune response and are not very effective against antigenically diverse viruses. to control influenza in pigs, the development of more effective swine influenza vaccines inducing broader cross-protective immune responses is needed. previously, we have shown that a polyvalent influenza dna vaccine using vectors c ...	2016	27211039
competitive fitness of influenza b viruses possessing e119a and h274y neuraminidase inhibitor resistance-associated substitutions in ferrets.	neuraminidase (na) inhibitors (nais) are the only antiviral drugs recommended for influenza treatment and prophylaxis. although nai-resistant influenza b viruses that could pose a threat to public health have been reported in the field, their fitness is poorly understood. we evaluated in ferrets the pathogenicity and relative fitness of reverse genetics (rg)-generated influenza b/yamanashi/166/1998-like viruses containing e119a or h274y na substitutions (n2 numbering). ferrets inoculated with na ...	2016	27466813
influence of papmv nanoparticles on the kinetics of the antibody response to flu vaccine.	the addition of an adjuvant to a vaccine is a promising approach to increasing strength and immunogenicity towards antigens. despite the fact that adjuvants have been used in vaccines for decades, their mechanisms of action and their influence on the kinetics of the immune response are still not very well understood. the use of papaya mosaic virus (papmv) nanoparticles-a novel tlr7 agonist-was recently shown to improve and broaden the immune response directed to trivalent inactivated flu vaccine ...	2016	27282291
fatal gastric dilation in two adult black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes).	acute gastric dilation resulting in death was identified in two adult black-footed ferrets (mustela nigripes) housed at the smithsonian conservation biology institute in front royal, virginia. both individuals were adult males (3 and 5 yr) and previously clinically healthy prior to the event. the etiology of gastric dilation in both cases could not be definitively determined, and necropsy revealed severe cardiovascular compromise secondary to bloat. limited literature is available regarding a sy ...	2016	27010305
implementing the use of a biobank in the endangered black-footed ferret (mustela nigripes).	in the current global health climate, many conservation biologists are managing crisis situations, including increased species extinction rates. one strategy for securing wildlife populations into the future is to preserve biomaterials in genome resource banks (grb; or 'biobanks'). however, for grbs to be successful we must understand the fundamental reproductive biology of species, along with developing assisted reproductive techniques (arts), including ai and semen cryopreservation. art has be ...	2016	26953795
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
neoplastic diseases in the domestic ferret (mustela putorius furo) in italy: classification and tissue distribution of 856 cases (2000-2010).	the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and tissue distribution of neoplasms in italian ferrets, compared to the epidemiological data previously reported in usa and japan.	2016	27919252
diagnosis and management of polycythemia vera in a ferret (mustela putorius furo).	a 5-y-old female ferret (mustela putorius furo) was evaluated for diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy for 1 wk. only mild dehydration was detected on physical examination. cbc analysis revealed marked erythrocytosis with an unremarkable plasma biochemistry panel; follow-up cbc analyses revealed a consistent primary erythrocytosis. whole-body radiographs and abdominal ultrasonography were unremarkable except for a small nephrolith in the right kidney and a small cyst in the left kidney. the plasma e ...	2016	28304249
oral and dental diseases in a population of domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	domestic ferrets have been used for many purposes, but recently their popularity as companion animals has increased greatly. however, data on their oral and dental diseases are rare. the objective of this study was therefore to describe oral and dental diseases in a population of client-owned domestic ferrets.	2016	27604062
clinical, cytological, histological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumours in ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	cutaneous mast cell tumours (cmcts) are one of the most common cutaneous tumours in ferrets (mustela putorius furo). however, limited information is available regarding cytological and histological features of these tumours and studies evaluating kit expression are lacking in this species. the aims of this prospective study were to describe the most common clinical, cytological and histological features of cmcts in ferrets and to compare the usefulness of different staining techniques in the dia ...	2016	27578524
comparison of digital rectal and microchip transponder thermometry in ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	body temperature is a common physiologic parameter measured in both clinical and research settings, with rectal thermometry being implied as the 'gold standard.' however, rectal thermometry usually requires physical or chemical restraint, potentially causing falsely elevated readings due to animal stress. a less stressful method may eliminate this confounding variable. the current study compared 2 types of digital rectal thermometers-a calibrated digital thermometer and a common digital thermome ...	2016	27177569
polyostotic lymphoma in a ferret (mustela putorius furo).	an 8.5-year-old, neutered female ferret (mustela putorius furo) was presented with tachypnoea, polyuria, polydipsia, anorexia and depression. radiographs revealed multiple osteolytic lesions of the bone, characterized cytologically by the infiltration of medium- to large-sized lymphocytes. the animal was humanely destroyed and post-mortem examination revealed multifocal masses obliterating the bone marrow of the mandible, right and left humeri and femur, and consisting of an infiltrative populat ...	2016	27147110
collateral circulation in ferrets (mustela putorius) during temporary occlusion of the caudal vena cava.	objective to determine whether extent of collateral circulation would change during temporary occlusion of the caudal vena cava (cvc) in ferrets (mustela putorius), a pressure change would occur caudal to the occlusion, and differences would exist between the sexes with respect to those changes. animals 8 adult ferrets (4 castrated males and 4 spayed females). procedures ferrets were anesthetized. a balloon occlusion catheter was introduced through a jugular vein, passed into the cvc by use of f ...	2016	27111022
histology and immunohistochemistry of severe inflammatory bowel disease versus lymphoma in the ferret (mustela putorius furo).	inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) is a common disorder of ferrets (mustela putorius furo) that may progress to lymphoma. although routine histology is used to distinguish between these diseases, misclassifications may occur. immunohistochemistry (ihc) is commonly used to distinguish between ibd and lymphoma in small animals. the objective of our study was to determine the agreement in the diagnosis reached solely using hematoxylin and eosin (he)-stained, full-thickness sections versus using a com ...	2016	27026106
histological and immunohistochemical features of histiocytic sarcoma in four domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo).	four cases of histiocytic sarcoma in domestic ferrets (mustela putorius furo) are described in the present study. tumor samples obtained from the abdominal viscera, including the spleen, were submitted for histologic examination. microscopically, poorly demarcated masses contained numerous round- to pleomorphic-shaped cells with coarsely vacuolated and eosinophilic cytoplasm. bizarre, binucleated tumor cells and multinucleated giant tumor cells with low phagocytic activity were commonly observed ...	2016	26965237