Healthcare workers are increasingly utilising cutting-edge technology, including mobile apps, to enhance patient health care and ensure efficient professional performance. The aim of this study was to design, develop and evaluate an educational mobile app dedicated towards being employed by nursing students and practicing nurses to support the clinical assessment of a patient's health condition in nursing care. In order to develop the mobile app, the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) model was employed. Between 2022 and 2023, a "Diagnostic Nurse" mobile app was developed in the "Android Application Package (APK)." The app's usability was tested in the laboratory by 20 participants. Three methods were employed in the study, that is, an eye-tracking technique, a qualitative evaluation and a quantitative evaluation. According to the System Usability Scale (SUS), the app test score for the nursing student group was assessed as 83.3 ± 8.9, and for the practicing nursing group, this was 84 ± 12.7. These results indicate that the mobile app's is highly usable. The app received high ratings in the "user-friendliness", "ease-of-use", and "user satisfaction" categories. The "DiagNurse" app makes it easier to learn how to conduct a clinical assessment of a patient's condition in nursing care, resulting in better information acquisition, assessment accuracy and speed. Given the low cost of the app development and the ADDIE model on which it is based, the app may be beneficial to nursing students, practicing nurses and other health-care professionals and students.
Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus), the causative agent of bovine trichomoniasis, is an obligate protozoan parasite of the bovine reproductive tract and can be found on the penis, prepuce, and distal urethra of the bull and from the cranial vagina to the oviduct in the infected cow. To date, the microbiome of bulls infected with T. foetus has not been described. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the preputial and penile microbiome of bulls chronically infected by T. foetus, (2) describe the seminal microbiome of T. foetus-infected bulls, and (3) evaluate different collection devices that could be used for sampling. Eleven bulls naturally infected with T. foetus were utilized for the collection of samples. Samples were obtained during the process of a routine breeding soundness exam utilizing either a dacron swab, pizzle stick, double-guarded swab, or semen collection. The preputial and seminal microbiome of T. foetus-infected bulls was dominated by bacterial members of the phyla Fusobacteriota, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, and Campylobacterota. Semen collection yielded the most microbial diversity; however, there was no significant difference between the four methods (p ≥ 0.05). This study characterizes both the preputial and seminal microbial communities of bulls chronically infected by T. foetus.
This chapter examines bent principal pieces in domestic animals, their causes, and their prognosis for fertility. Sperm with a loop-like bend in the principal piece just distal to the annulus occur in small numbers, often in association with distal midpiece reflexes. Hypotonic shock may cause a similar bend, albeit without a trapped droplet. The chapter contains high-quality color images accompanied by brief descriptions for additional diagnostic help. An ideal resource for veterinarians, andrologists, and veterinary students, it fills a gap in current reproductive medicine resources with detailed information that is easy to consult.
Objective To determine the baseline pH and temperature of the preputial cavity of bulls. Methods We enrolled 55 bulls ranging in age from 15 to 84 months. The preputial temperature and pH were measured by insertion of temperature and pH probes, respectively, into the preputial orifice prior to routine breeding soundness examinations. Information was obtained from owners regarding the diet of each bull and categorised as one of three categories: forage only, grain supplemented or silage supplemented. Results The average temperature of the prepuce was 37.81°C ± 1.76 and the median pH of the prepuce was 8.45 (6.35–9.46). Preputial temperatures of the bull weakly correlated with ambient temperatures (rs = −0.29, P = 0.028). The preputial pH of silage-fed bulls was significantly lower than that of bulls fed forage only (P = 0.025) or grain-supplemented diets (P = 0.002). The median preputial pH of bulls fed a silage-based diet was 7.6 (6.3–8.9) compared with a median pH 8.7 (7.8–9.1) for bulls fed forage-based diets or a median of 8.5 (7.7–9.4) for those given grain-supplemented diets. Conclusion Diet and ambient temperature can, respectively, affect pH and the temperature in the prepuce. Further studies to describe and understand the microbiota of the prepuce and penis may assist in developing treatments for diseases of the genital tract in bulls.
Abstract OBJECTIVE To provide a video tutorial on how to perform preputial scraping for the testing of Tritrichomonas foetus in bulls. ANIMALS Postpubertal bulls. METHODS A preputial scraping device is inserted in the prepuce, and back-and-forth scraping movements are made to collect smegma and T foetus organisms. The sample is placed in an appropriate media and prepared for shipment to the diagnostic laboratory. RESULTS Preputial sampling is an effective method for diagnosing T foetus in infected bulls. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Bulls are the primary carriers of T foetus , a protozoan parasite responsible for bovine trichomoniasis. By sampling and testing bulls, veterinarians can identify infected animals and implement control measures to prevent the spread of the disease within herds. Trichomoniasis can lead to significant reproductive problems in cattle, including infertility, embryonic death, and abortions. Sampling bulls allows for the detection of infection, enabling prompt intervention to protect the reproductive health of the entire herd. Trichomoniasis outbreaks can result in substantial economic losses for cattle producers due to reduced conception rates, increased calving intervals, and decreased calf crops. Sampling bulls helps to mitigate these losses by identifying and removing infected animals from the breeding pool, thereby minimizing the spread of the disease and its associated reproductive inefficiencies. In many regions, T foetus testing in bulls is a regulatory requirement for cattle movement and trade. Sampling bulls and obtaining negative test results are often necessary for obtaining health certificates and complying with interstate or international movement regulations.
Tritrichomonas foetus, a sexually transmitted disease in cattle, continues to plague the cattle industry despite years of control programs. One reason for this continued prevalence throughout the U.S. and the world is that accurate diagnosis is complicated in the fact that retrieval of organisms for diagnosis and subsequent testing may be compromised by multiple factors including, but not limited to, how samples are collected. A commonly used sampling technique for diagnosing T. foetus in bulls is scraping of the preputial and penile mucosa with either an artificial insemination pipette or specially designed T. foetus testing device such as the Pizzle Stick Trich Testing Device (Lane Manufacturing Denver, CO). Parker et al. noted that right-hand dominant practitioners were more commonly successful in retrieving T. foetus in known positive bulls when collecting from the right side of the bull compared to the left; however, the opposite was not investigated for left-hand dominant practitioners and only cultures were used to declare whether a sample was positive or not. The objective of this study was to determine if using current RT-qPCR testing if there is a difference in rate of positive tests pending side of chute and use of dominant hand for testing.
This chapter examines nuclear vacuolation, including the diadem defect in domestic animals, their causes, and their prognosis for fertility. Nuclear vacuoles have been described in sperm heads of all domestic species. The defect is characterized by an invagination of the nuclear membrane into the nucleoplasm of the sperm head. Various initiators of nuclear vacuolation have been postulated, including stress, aberrant testicular thermoregulation, viral infections, toxins, improper nutrition, and inheritance. Considering recovery of the defect prognosis primarily depends on etiology of the problem. The chapter contains high-quality color images accompanied by brief descriptions for additional diagnostic help. An ideal resource for veterinarians, andrologists, and veterinary students, it fills a gap in current reproductive medicine resources with detailed information that is easy to consult.
