I have been involved in curating and organizing several art exhibitions on campus, including student work presentations and themed exhibitions. I gained an in-depth understanding of the process of art curation and also enhanced my project management and teamwork skills. I collaborated with students from different majors to exchange ideas and promote campus culture. This experience sparked my interest in combining art and architecture and taught me how to communicate effectively. Phone: +1 (213) 805-9265
Diabetes mellitus is often a frustrating disorder to treat. Many animals appear resistant to the ... more Diabetes mellitus is often a frustrating disorder to treat. Many animals appear resistant to the effects of insulin, while others, especially cats, are very sensitive to its effects and therefore prone to bouts of hypoglycemia. Because of difficulties in glucose regulation, many veterinarians have referred to the treatment of diabetes mellitus as an art rather than a science. Fear of over-regulation with resultant hypoglycemia has led to the practice of "loose control" (wide fluctuations of glucose are allowed to occur throughout the day). Fortunately, long-term side effects of poor glycemic control seen in people (eg, retinal, glomerular, vascular, and nerve problems) are uncommon in dogs and cats; however, excessive polyuria and polydipsia, weight loss, and recurrent urinary tract infection in most cases is unacceptable. This chapter will focus on many of the problems associated with regulating the uncomplicated diabetic and discuss newer glucose control techniques, the use of oral hypoglycemic agents, and the role of diet in the acute treatment and long-term management of diabetes mellitus in the dog and cat.
After IV administration of 0.5 mg of glucagon/cat, glucose tolerance and insulin secretory respon... more After IV administration of 0.5 mg of glucagon/cat, glucose tolerance and insulin secretory response were evaluated in 10 lean cats, 10 obese cats, and 30 cats with diabetes mellitus. Blood samples for glucose and insulin determinations were collected immediately before and at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after IV administration of glucagon. Baseline serum insulin concentration and insulin secretory response were used to classify diabetes mellitus in the 30 cats as type I or type II. Mean (+/- SEM) baseline and 30-minute serum glucose concentrations in obese cats were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased, compared with values in lean cats, but were similar at all other blood sample collection times. Serum glucose concentration in diabetic cats was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than values in obese and lean cats at all blood sample collection times. Two statistically different insulin responses to IV administration of glucagon were seen in diabetic cats. Of the 30 diabetic cats, 23 had minimal insulin secretory response after glucagon administration (ie, serum insulin concentration was at or below sensitivity of the insulin assay). Seven diabetic cats had baseline serum insulin concentration similar to that of obese cats and significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of lean cats and of the other 23 diabetic cats. In these 7 diabetic cats, serum insulin concentration increased after glucagon administration. Total insulin secretion was not significantly different between these 7 diabetic cats and the lean and obese cats, and was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than total insulin secretion in the other 23 diabetic cats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The effect of long-term voluntary fasting on hematologic variables, biochemical profiles, and liv... more The effect of long-term voluntary fasting on hematologic variables, biochemical profiles, and liver histologic findings was assessed in 15 obese cats (> 40% overweight). Clinical signs and laboratory results consistent with hepatic lipidosis were observed in 12 of 15 cats after 5 to 7 weeks of fasting, and were associated with 30 to 35% reduction of initial body weight. Histologic examination of successive liver biopsy specimens revealed that obesity was not associated with liver parenchymal lipid accumulation, but that fasting resulted in lipidosis in all 15 cats. The long-term fast was associated with an early (after 2 to 4 weeks of fasting) and significant (P < 0.05) reduction in serum urea, glucose, and albumin concentrations, and RBC mass. Fasting for 5 to 7 weeks was associated with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in hepatic-associated enzyme activities and in total and direct serum bilirubin concentrations. Significant (P < 0.05) changes in serum alkaline phosphatase developed as early as 3 weeks before the onset of hyperbilirubinemia. Except for development of hepatic lipidosis, cats appeared to tolerate the fast without other adverse effect. This study confirmed that long-term fasting may induce clinical hepatic lipidosis in obese cats. Fasting appears to induce a syndrome of hepatic lipidosis that is indistinguishable from feline idiopathic hepatic lipidosis and may be an appropriate model to study the pathophysiologic features and treatment of hepatic lipidosis.
Objective: To evaluate dietary and environmental factors as potential risk factors for calcium ox... more Objective: To evaluate dietary and environmental factors as potential risk factors for calcium oxalate urolithiasis in cats. Design: Case-control study. Animals: 84 cats with uroliths composed of at least 90% calcium oxalate and 258 age- and gender-matched control cats. Procedure: Owners of cats with calcium oxalate urolithiasis and control cats were surveyed between November 1990 and August 1992. Owners completed a standard questionnaire administered during a single telephone interview. Data collected included information regarding signalment, environment, urination and defecation, diet, and medical history. Results: Calcium oxalate uroliths tended to develop in middle- to older-aged, domestic shorthair cats of typical weight. A gender predilection was not detected. Factors associated with an increase in the risk of calcium oxalate urolithiasis in cats were feeding urine-acidifying diets, feeding a single brand of cat food without providing additional foods or table scraps, maintaining cats in an indoor-only environment, and being of the Persian breed. Clinical implications: Control of diet and environment may help prevent calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Apr 1, 2006
This study compared the effects of a moderate carbohydrate–high fiber (MC–HF) food and a low carb... more This study compared the effects of a moderate carbohydrate–high fiber (MC–HF) food and a low carbohydrate–low fiber (LC–LF) food on glycemic control in cats with diabetes mellitus. Sixty-three diabetic cats (48 male castrated, 15 female spayed) were randomly assigned to be fed either a canned MC–HF ( n=32) food or a canned LC–LF ( n=31) food for 16 weeks. Owners were blinded to the type of diet fed. CBC, urinalysis, serum chemistry panel, fructosamine concentration and thyroxine concentration were determined on initial examination, and a complete blood count, serum chemistry panel, urinalysis and serum fructosamine concentration were repeated every 4 weeks for 16 weeks. Insulin doses were adjusted as needed to resolve clinical signs and lower serum fructosamine concentrations. Serum glucose ( P=0.0001) and fructosamine ( P=0.0001) concentrations significantly decreased from week 0 to week 16 in both dietary groups. By week 16, significantly more of the cats fed the LC–LF food (68%, 22/31), compared to the cats fed the MC–HF food (41%, 13/32), had reverted to a non-insulin-dependent state ( P=0.03). Cats in both groups were successfully taken off of insulin regardless of age, sex, type of insulin administered or duration of clinical disease before entering the study. There was no significant difference in the initial or final mean body weights or in the mean change in body weight from week 0 to week 16 between dietary groups. Diabetic cats in this study were significantly more likely to revert to a non-insulin-dependent state when fed the canned LC–LF food versus the MC–HF food.
Javma-journal of The American Veterinary Medical Association, Sep 1, 2000
To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopath... more To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopathologic abnormalities in cats with stanozolol-induced hepatotoxicosis. Clinical trial and case series. 12 healthy cats, 6 cats with chronic renal failure, and 3 cats with gingivitis and stomatitis. Healthy cats and cats with renal failure were treated with stanozolol (25 mg, i.m., on the first day, then 2 mg, p.o., q 12 h) for 4 weeks. Cats with gingivitis were treated with stanozolol at a dosage of 1 mg, p.o., every 24 hours. Most healthy cats and cats with renal failure developed marked inappetence, groomed less, and were less active within 7 to 10 days after initiation of stanozolol administration. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was significantly increased in 14 of 18 cats after stanozolol administration, but serum alkaline phosphatase activity was mildly increased in only 3. Four cats with serum ALT activity &gt; 1,000 U/L after only 2 weeks of stanozolol administration had coagulopathies; administration of vitamin K resolved the coagulopathy in 3 of the 4 within 48 hours. All 18 cats survived, and hepatic enzyme activities were normal in all cats tested more than 4 weeks after stanozolol administration was discontinued. Two of the 3 cats with gingivitis developed evidence of severe hepatic failure 2 to 3 months after initiation of stanozolol treatment; both cats developed coagulopathies. Histologic evaluation of hepatic biopsy specimens from 5 cats revealed diffuse hepatic lipidosis and cholestasis without evidence of hepatocellular necrosis. Results suggest that stanozolol is hepatotoxic in cats.
Reticulocyte indices, especially reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CH retic), have shown promise a... more Reticulocyte indices, especially reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CH retic), have shown promise as markers of iron deficiency (ID), but there have been no prospective investigations of reticulocyte indices in experimental models of ID. The objective of this study was to compare reticulocyte indices with conventional hematologic and biochemical indices as markers of ID in dogs. Iron deficiency was induced in 7 dogs by feeding an iron-deficient diet, and corrected by restoring dietary iron and by giving iron parenterally. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals. Results of hematologic and biochemical tests were compared using t-tests and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Comparing mean values on days 0 and 35, by which time hemoglobin concentration decreased to 90% of baseline in all dogs, % Macro retic, % Hypo retic, % Low CH retic, and % High CH retic differed by greater than 3-fold, whereas no conventional hematologic or biochemical indices differed by as much as 2-fold. Comparing conventional hematologic and reticulocyte indices by ROC curve analysis using 4 different biochemical diagnostic criteria of ID, CH retic, % Hypo retic, % Low CH retic, and % High CH retic had higher areas under the curve (AUC) than either MCV conv or MCHC conv according to all 4 criteria, and % Macro retic and MCV retic had higher AUC values according to 3 of 4 criteria (differences were not always statistically significant). Results of this study support the value of reticulocyte indices in the diagnosis and monitoring of ID in dogs. Species similarities in the pathophysiology and hematologic manifestations of ID suggest these findings also may be relevant to ID in people.
Cats have a dietary requirement for taurine as a re sult of a limited ability to synthesize tauri... more Cats have a dietary requirement for taurine as a re sult of a limited ability to synthesize taurine and ob ligate taurine conjugation to bile acids. Recent research indicates that increased taurocholic acid turnover may contribute to the taurine depletion that is observed in cats fed certain heat-processed canned diets or purified soy protein-containing diets (Hickman et al. 1992). The mechanism by which these diets increase bile se cretion and taurine loss is not known. Possibilities in clude increased loss of taurine-conjugated bile salts through binding to undigestible dietary components, increased bacterial degradation as a result of altered gut microflora, a direct increase in bile secretion and enterohepatic recycling due to diet-mediated eleva tions in cholecystokinin (CCK)7 release, or a combi
Diabetes mellitus is often a frustrating disorder to treat. Many animals appear resistant to the ... more Diabetes mellitus is often a frustrating disorder to treat. Many animals appear resistant to the effects of insulin, while others, especially cats, are very sensitive to its effects and therefore prone to bouts of hypoglycemia. Because of difficulties in glucose regulation, many veterinarians have referred to the treatment of diabetes mellitus as an art rather than a science. Fear of over-regulation with resultant hypoglycemia has led to the practice of "loose control" (wide fluctuations of glucose are allowed to occur throughout the day). Fortunately, long-term side effects of poor glycemic control seen in people (eg, retinal, glomerular, vascular, and nerve problems) are uncommon in dogs and cats; however, excessive polyuria and polydipsia, weight loss, and recurrent urinary tract infection in most cases is unacceptable. This chapter will focus on many of the problems associated with regulating the uncomplicated diabetic and discuss newer glucose control techniques, the use of oral hypoglycemic agents, and the role of diet in the acute treatment and long-term management of diabetes mellitus in the dog and cat.
After IV administration of 0.5 mg of glucagon/cat, glucose tolerance and insulin secretory respon... more After IV administration of 0.5 mg of glucagon/cat, glucose tolerance and insulin secretory response were evaluated in 10 lean cats, 10 obese cats, and 30 cats with diabetes mellitus. Blood samples for glucose and insulin determinations were collected immediately before and at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after IV administration of glucagon. Baseline serum insulin concentration and insulin secretory response were used to classify diabetes mellitus in the 30 cats as type I or type II. Mean (+/- SEM) baseline and 30-minute serum glucose concentrations in obese cats were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased, compared with values in lean cats, but were similar at all other blood sample collection times. Serum glucose concentration in diabetic cats was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than values in obese and lean cats at all blood sample collection times. Two statistically different insulin responses to IV administration of glucagon were seen in diabetic cats. Of the 30 diabetic cats, 23 had minimal insulin secretory response after glucagon administration (ie, serum insulin concentration was at or below sensitivity of the insulin assay). Seven diabetic cats had baseline serum insulin concentration similar to that of obese cats and significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of lean cats and of the other 23 diabetic cats. In these 7 diabetic cats, serum insulin concentration increased after glucagon administration. Total insulin secretion was not significantly different between these 7 diabetic cats and the lean and obese cats, and was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than total insulin secretion in the other 23 diabetic cats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The effect of long-term voluntary fasting on hematologic variables, biochemical profiles, and liv... more The effect of long-term voluntary fasting on hematologic variables, biochemical profiles, and liver histologic findings was assessed in 15 obese cats (> 40% overweight). Clinical signs and laboratory results consistent with hepatic lipidosis were observed in 12 of 15 cats after 5 to 7 weeks of fasting, and were associated with 30 to 35% reduction of initial body weight. Histologic examination of successive liver biopsy specimens revealed that obesity was not associated with liver parenchymal lipid accumulation, but that fasting resulted in lipidosis in all 15 cats. The long-term fast was associated with an early (after 2 to 4 weeks of fasting) and significant (P < 0.05) reduction in serum urea, glucose, and albumin concentrations, and RBC mass. Fasting for 5 to 7 weeks was associated with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in hepatic-associated enzyme activities and in total and direct serum bilirubin concentrations. Significant (P < 0.05) changes in serum alkaline phosphatase developed as early as 3 weeks before the onset of hyperbilirubinemia. Except for development of hepatic lipidosis, cats appeared to tolerate the fast without other adverse effect. This study confirmed that long-term fasting may induce clinical hepatic lipidosis in obese cats. Fasting appears to induce a syndrome of hepatic lipidosis that is indistinguishable from feline idiopathic hepatic lipidosis and may be an appropriate model to study the pathophysiologic features and treatment of hepatic lipidosis.
Objective: To evaluate dietary and environmental factors as potential risk factors for calcium ox... more Objective: To evaluate dietary and environmental factors as potential risk factors for calcium oxalate urolithiasis in cats. Design: Case-control study. Animals: 84 cats with uroliths composed of at least 90% calcium oxalate and 258 age- and gender-matched control cats. Procedure: Owners of cats with calcium oxalate urolithiasis and control cats were surveyed between November 1990 and August 1992. Owners completed a standard questionnaire administered during a single telephone interview. Data collected included information regarding signalment, environment, urination and defecation, diet, and medical history. Results: Calcium oxalate uroliths tended to develop in middle- to older-aged, domestic shorthair cats of typical weight. A gender predilection was not detected. Factors associated with an increase in the risk of calcium oxalate urolithiasis in cats were feeding urine-acidifying diets, feeding a single brand of cat food without providing additional foods or table scraps, maintaining cats in an indoor-only environment, and being of the Persian breed. Clinical implications: Control of diet and environment may help prevent calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Apr 1, 2006
This study compared the effects of a moderate carbohydrate–high fiber (MC–HF) food and a low carb... more This study compared the effects of a moderate carbohydrate–high fiber (MC–HF) food and a low carbohydrate–low fiber (LC–LF) food on glycemic control in cats with diabetes mellitus. Sixty-three diabetic cats (48 male castrated, 15 female spayed) were randomly assigned to be fed either a canned MC–HF ( n=32) food or a canned LC–LF ( n=31) food for 16 weeks. Owners were blinded to the type of diet fed. CBC, urinalysis, serum chemistry panel, fructosamine concentration and thyroxine concentration were determined on initial examination, and a complete blood count, serum chemistry panel, urinalysis and serum fructosamine concentration were repeated every 4 weeks for 16 weeks. Insulin doses were adjusted as needed to resolve clinical signs and lower serum fructosamine concentrations. Serum glucose ( P=0.0001) and fructosamine ( P=0.0001) concentrations significantly decreased from week 0 to week 16 in both dietary groups. By week 16, significantly more of the cats fed the LC–LF food (68%, 22/31), compared to the cats fed the MC–HF food (41%, 13/32), had reverted to a non-insulin-dependent state ( P=0.03). Cats in both groups were successfully taken off of insulin regardless of age, sex, type of insulin administered or duration of clinical disease before entering the study. There was no significant difference in the initial or final mean body weights or in the mean change in body weight from week 0 to week 16 between dietary groups. Diabetic cats in this study were significantly more likely to revert to a non-insulin-dependent state when fed the canned LC–LF food versus the MC–HF food.
Javma-journal of The American Veterinary Medical Association, Sep 1, 2000
To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopath... more To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopathologic abnormalities in cats with stanozolol-induced hepatotoxicosis. Clinical trial and case series. 12 healthy cats, 6 cats with chronic renal failure, and 3 cats with gingivitis and stomatitis. Healthy cats and cats with renal failure were treated with stanozolol (25 mg, i.m., on the first day, then 2 mg, p.o., q 12 h) for 4 weeks. Cats with gingivitis were treated with stanozolol at a dosage of 1 mg, p.o., every 24 hours. Most healthy cats and cats with renal failure developed marked inappetence, groomed less, and were less active within 7 to 10 days after initiation of stanozolol administration. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was significantly increased in 14 of 18 cats after stanozolol administration, but serum alkaline phosphatase activity was mildly increased in only 3. Four cats with serum ALT activity &gt; 1,000 U/L after only 2 weeks of stanozolol administration had coagulopathies; administration of vitamin K resolved the coagulopathy in 3 of the 4 within 48 hours. All 18 cats survived, and hepatic enzyme activities were normal in all cats tested more than 4 weeks after stanozolol administration was discontinued. Two of the 3 cats with gingivitis developed evidence of severe hepatic failure 2 to 3 months after initiation of stanozolol treatment; both cats developed coagulopathies. Histologic evaluation of hepatic biopsy specimens from 5 cats revealed diffuse hepatic lipidosis and cholestasis without evidence of hepatocellular necrosis. Results suggest that stanozolol is hepatotoxic in cats.
Reticulocyte indices, especially reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CH retic), have shown promise a... more Reticulocyte indices, especially reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CH retic), have shown promise as markers of iron deficiency (ID), but there have been no prospective investigations of reticulocyte indices in experimental models of ID. The objective of this study was to compare reticulocyte indices with conventional hematologic and biochemical indices as markers of ID in dogs. Iron deficiency was induced in 7 dogs by feeding an iron-deficient diet, and corrected by restoring dietary iron and by giving iron parenterally. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals. Results of hematologic and biochemical tests were compared using t-tests and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Comparing mean values on days 0 and 35, by which time hemoglobin concentration decreased to 90% of baseline in all dogs, % Macro retic, % Hypo retic, % Low CH retic, and % High CH retic differed by greater than 3-fold, whereas no conventional hematologic or biochemical indices differed by as much as 2-fold. Comparing conventional hematologic and reticulocyte indices by ROC curve analysis using 4 different biochemical diagnostic criteria of ID, CH retic, % Hypo retic, % Low CH retic, and % High CH retic had higher areas under the curve (AUC) than either MCV conv or MCHC conv according to all 4 criteria, and % Macro retic and MCV retic had higher AUC values according to 3 of 4 criteria (differences were not always statistically significant). Results of this study support the value of reticulocyte indices in the diagnosis and monitoring of ID in dogs. Species similarities in the pathophysiology and hematologic manifestations of ID suggest these findings also may be relevant to ID in people.
Cats have a dietary requirement for taurine as a re sult of a limited ability to synthesize tauri... more Cats have a dietary requirement for taurine as a re sult of a limited ability to synthesize taurine and ob ligate taurine conjugation to bile acids. Recent research indicates that increased taurocholic acid turnover may contribute to the taurine depletion that is observed in cats fed certain heat-processed canned diets or purified soy protein-containing diets (Hickman et al. 1992). The mechanism by which these diets increase bile se cretion and taurine loss is not known. Possibilities in clude increased loss of taurine-conjugated bile salts through binding to undigestible dietary components, increased bacterial degradation as a result of altered gut microflora, a direct increase in bile secretion and enterohepatic recycling due to diet-mediated eleva tions in cholecystokinin (CCK)7 release, or a combi
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