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This paper describes the results of a survey on the opinions on tests and testing practices of Dutch professional psychologists in 2000, 2009, and 2020. The survey is an initiative of the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) and is administered Europe-wide. For each year, scores on five scales were computed, being Incorrect test use, Regulations on testing, Testing by the Internet (for this scale only data is available from 2009 on), Appreciation of tests, and Knowledge in relation to tests and test use. The scores of four out of the five scales showed to be rather stable since 2009. Only the opinion with respect to Testing by the Internet was slightly more positive in 2020. The implications of the results are discussed.

Novel methods to aid identification of dogs with spontaneous Cushing's syndrome are warranted to optimize case selection for diagnostics, avoid unnecessary testing, and ultimately aid decision-making for veterinarians. To develop and internally validate a prediction tool for dogs receiving a diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome using primary-care electronic health records. Three hundred and ninety-eight dogs diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome and 541 noncase dogs, tested for but not diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, from a cohort of 905 544 dogs attending VetCompass participating practices. A cross-sectional study design was performed. A prediction model was developed using multivariable binary logistic regression taking the demography, presenting clinical signs and some routine laboratory results into consideration. Predictive performance of each model was assessed and internally validated through bootstrap resampling. A novel clinical prediction tool was developed from the final model. The final model included predictor variables sex, age, breed, polydipsia, vomiting, potbelly/hepatomegaly, alopecia, pruritus, alkaline phosphatase, and urine specific gravity. The model demonstrated good discrimination (area under the receiver operating curve [AUROC] = 0.78 [95% CI = 0.75-0.81]; optimism-adjusted AUROC = 0.76) and calibration (C-slope = 0.86). A tool was developed from the model which calculates the predicted likelihood of a dog having Cushing's syndrome from 0% (score = -13) to 96% (score = 10). A tool to predict a diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome at the point of first suspicion in dogs was developed, with good predictive performance. This tool can be used in practice to support decision-making and increase confidence in diagnosis. [Abstract copyright: © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.]

\ud Objectives\ud An affordable and effective treatment is needed to manage feline hypersomatotropism. The aim of this study was to assess whether treatment with oral cabergoline for 90 days in cats with hypersomatotropism and diabetes mellitus improved diabetic and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) control.\ud \ud Methods\ud This was a prospective cohort non-blinded pilot study enrolling client-owned cats with spontaneously occurring diabetes mellitus and hypersomatotropism. Cats received oral cabergoline (5–10 µg/kg q24h) for 90 consecutive days. Serum IGF-1 and fructosamine concentrations were measured on days 1, 30 and 90. Quality of life was determined using the DIAQoL-pet questionnaire on days 1 and 90.\ud \ud Results\ud Nine cats were enrolled and eight completed the study. There was no significant change in the following: IGF-1 (day 1 median 2001 ng/ml [range 890–2001 ng/ml]; day 30 median 2001 ng/ml [range 929–2001 ng/ml]; day 90 median 1828 ng/ml [range 1035–2001 ng/ml]; χ2(2) = 0.667, P = 0.805); fructosamine (day 1 median 499 µmol/l [range 330–887 µmol/l], day 30 median 551 µmol/l [range 288–722 µmol/l], day 90 median 503 [range 315–851 µmol/l]; χ2(2) = 0.581, P = 0.764); or DIAQoL-pet score (median on day 1 –2.79 (range –4.62 to –0.28], median on day 90 –3.24 [range –4.41 to –0.28]; P = 0.715). There was a significant change of insulin dose (χ2(2) = 8.667, P = 0.008) with cats receiving higher insulin doses at day 90 compared with day 1 (median on day 1 was 0.98 [range 0.63–1.49] and median on day 90 was 1.56 [range 0.49–2.55] units/kg q12h; P = 0.026).\ud \ud Conclusions and relevance\ud Cabergoline did not improve diabetic control or normalise insulin-like growth factor concentration, or improve patient quality of life.

When representing convective instability mechanisms with the streamwise BiGlobal stability approach, results suffer from a sensitivity to the streamwise domain truncation length and boundary conditions. The methodology proposed in this paper resolves this sensitivity by considering a moving frame of reference. In that frame, the spectrum features discrete eigenvalues whose corresponding eigenfunctions decay exponentially in both the up- and downstream directions. Therefore, the truncation boundaries can be placed far enough that both variations in the domain length and artificial boundary conditions have no impact. The discrete nature of the spectrum enables the use of local and non-local stability methods to perform an independent approximation of the BiGlobal eigensolutions via global mode theory. We demonstrate that retrieving set-up-independent solutions in the stationary frame of reference is likely impossible for the considered flow.

The prevalence of growth hormone secreting pituitary tumours in domestic cats (Felis catus) is ten times greater than in humans. The predominant inhibitory receptors of growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumours are somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) and dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2). The expression of these receptors is associated with the response to somatostatin analogue and dopamine agonist treatment in human patients with acromegaly. The aim of this study was to describe pathological features of pituitaries from domestic cats with acromegaly, pituitary receptor expression and investigate correlates with clinical data including pituitary volume, time since diagnosis of diabetes, insulin requirement and serum IGF1 concentration. Loss of reticulin structure was identified in 15/21 pituitaries, of which 10/15 exhibited acinar hyperplasia. SSTR1, SSTR2, SSTR5 and DRD2 mRNA were identified in the feline pituitary while SSTR3 and SSTR4 were not. Expression of SSTR1, SSTR2 and SSTR5 was greater in acromegalic cats compared to controls. A negative correlation was identified between DRD2 mRNA expression and pituitary volume. The loss of DRD2 expression should be investigated as a mechanism allowing the development of larger pituitary tumours.

An 8-year-old male neutered Persian cat was presented with polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia and muscle weakness associated with a 7 month history of diabetes mellitus (DM). The cat had initially been treated with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin 2 U q12h, followed by porcine lente insulin 2 U q12h and, most recently, 3 U glargine insulin q12h, without improvement of clinical signs. The cat also suffered from concurrent symmetrical bilateral alopecia of thorax and forelimbs, abdominal distension and lethargy. Hyperadrenocorticism (HAC), specifically pituitary-dependent HAC, was suspected and confirmed through abdominal ultrasonography demonstrating bilateral adrenal enlargement, and a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test using 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone intravenously. Trilostane treatment (initially 10 mg/cat PO q24h then increased to 10 mg/cat PO q12h) was started and insulin sensitivity gradually improved, ultimately leading to diabetic remission after an increased in trilostane dose to 13mg/cat PO q12h, 14 months after the DM diagnosis and 7 months after the initiation of trilostane therapy.

Current pet diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment necessitates the active daily involvement of owners and can be costly. The current study aimed to investigate the owner population which opts for euthanasia instead of DM treatment. A survey was designed using multiple feedback steps and made available online to veterinarians world-wide. A total of 1192 veterinarians completed the survey and suggested a median one in 10 diabetic pets are euthanased at diagnosis; a further median one in 10 within one year because of lack of success or compliance. Perceived most important motivating factors included “presence concurrent disease” (45% respondents); “costs” (44%); “animal age” (37%); “problems obtaining adequate control” (35%); “pet welfare” (35%); and “impact owner’s lifestyle” (32%). Cats in Canadian (odds ratio (OR) 2.7), Australian (OR 2.3), rural (OR 1.6) and mixed (OR 1.7) practices were more likely to be euthanased because of DM diagnosis, while cats presented to referral/university were less likely to be euthanased (OR 0.6). Dogs were more likely to be euthanased because of DM in Canadian (OR 1.8), rural (OR 1.8) and mixed (OR 1.6) practices. The survey results suggest that benefit exists in improved DM education with emphasis on offering a choice of treatment styles ranging from intense and expensive to hands-off and cheap.

Acromegaly in humans is usually sporadic, however up to 20% of familial isolated pituitary adenomas are caused by germline sequence variants of the aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene. Feline acromegaly has similarities to human acromegalic families with AIP mutations. The aim of this study was to sequence the feline AIP gene, identify sequence variants and compare the AIP gene sequence between feline acromegalic and control cats, and in acromegalic siblings. The feline AIP gene was amplified through PCR using whole blood genomic DNA from 10 acromegalic and 10 control cats, and 3 sibling pairs affected by acromegaly. PCR products were sequenced and compared with the published predicted feline AIP gene. A single nonsynonymous SNP was identified in exon 1 (AIP:c.9T > G) of two acromegalic cats and none of the control cats, as well as both members of one sibling pair. The region of this SNP is considered essential for the interaction of the AIP protein with its receptor. This sequence variant has not previously been reported in humans. Two additional synonymous sequence variants were identified (AIP:c.481C > T and AIP:c.826C > T). This is the first molecular study to investigate a potential genetic cause of feline acromegaly and identified a nonsynonymous AIP single nucleotide polymorphism in 20% of the acromegalic cat population evaluated, as well as in one of the sibling pairs evaluated.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a serious weed in North America. A high number of wild proso millet biotypes are known but the genetic basis of its phenotypic variation is poorly understood. In the present study, a non-radioactive silver staining method for PCR Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) was evaluated for studying genetic polymorphism in American proso millet biotypes. Twelve biotypes and 8 primer combinations with two/three and three/three selective nucleotides were used. Pair of primers with two/three selective nucleotides produced the highest number of amplified DNA fragments, while pair of primers with three/three selective nucleotides were more effective for revealing more polymorphic DNA fragments. The two better primer combinations were EcoR-AAC/Mse-CTT and EcoR-ACT/Mse-CAA with 7 and 11 polymorphic DNA fragments, respectively. In a total of 450 amplified fragments, at least 339 appeared well separated in a silver stained acrylamide gel and 39 polymorphic DNA bands were scored. The level of polymorphic DNA (11.5%) using only 8 pairs of primers were effective for grouping proso millet biotypes in two clusters but insufficient for separating hybrid biotypes from wild and crop. Nevertheless, the present result indicates that silver stained AFLP markers could be a cheap and important tool for studying genetic relationships in proso millet..

Mercury and radionuclides (226-Ra, 238-U and 137-Cs) were measured in sediments of the Kaštela bay (Eastern Adriatic Coast), polluted with mercury by the chlor-alkali plant. From depth distribution of 238-U, 226-Ra and Hg it was revealed that sediment represents a mixture of natural sediment (rich in Hg) and ash (poor in Hg and rich in radionuclides) from coal used in factory power plant. Distribution of 137-Cs showed that sediment up to a depth of 50 cm was younger than 1986, meaning that dumping of the coal ash to the sea took place after this year.

The environmental factors governing the distribution and behaviour of total and methylmercury within the Seine estuary have been assessed through the use of sediment cores. Box-cores taken at the coastal, estuarine and riverine locations in the period from 1994 to 1997 were analysed for bulk sediment and pore-water total and methylmercury concentrations, as well as a number of other chemical variables. The level of total mercury in sediment (300 - 1000 ng/g) showed neither significant temporal or spatial variations, nor characteristic changes with sediment depth. Contrary, the distribution of methylmercury was distinct from that of its inorganic counterpart since it displayed seasonal and spatial variability. Maximal methylmercury concentrations (up to 6 ng/g) and percentages (up to 2%) were obtained at estuarine locations with peak loadings just below the sediment surface and a decreasing trend towards the deeper layers. Total and methylmercury were not correlated, but the temporal and spatial behaviour of methylmercury appeared to reflect variations in salinity, redox potential, availability of the mercury ion and the sulphate reduction rate. Low reactive mercury, but very high total mercury concentrations were measured in the pore-waters (10 - 400 ng/l) with maxima at or just below the sediment/water interface. In spite of a high portion of organically complexed dissolved mercury, methylmercury in pore-waters was mainly below the detection limit of the method used (< 2 ng/l). From mercury speciation in the solid phase and the dependence of its dissolved fraction on iron and manganese in pore-water, source and distribution of mercury in pore-waters are discussed.