Background Fel d1 is the most important allergen from cats. Fel d1 is produced primarily in saliva and spread to the haircoat during grooming and then transferred to the environment via hair and dander. Objectives A novel approach to reducing allergenic Fel d1 exposure was evaluated, involving binding the Fel d1 with an anti‐Fel d1 polyclonal egg IgY antibody. The hypothesis was that hair from cats who had been fed foods containing anti‐Fel d1 IgY would show a significant reduction in active Fel d1 (aFel d1). Methods Hair collected from 105 cats completing a 12‐week study was evaluated for aFel d1 via ELISA. Hair was collected four times over a 2‐week baseline period, then weekly during the 10 week treatment period during which cats consumed a food containing the anti‐Fel d1 IgY. Results Baseline aFel d1 (μg/g hair) varied greatly among the cats in this study. From week 3, there was a significant reduction in mean aFel d1 with an overall average decrease of 47% by week 10, ranging from a 33–71% decrease vs baseline. Cats with the highest baseline aFel d1 showed the greatest decrease in aFel d1. Conclusions & Clinical Implications Feeding anti‐Fel d1 IgY to cats successfully reduced aFel d1 on their haircoat with the greatest decreases observed in cats with initially high levels. Feeding a diet with anti Fel d1 IgY significantly reduced the active Fel d1 on the hair of cats.

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a common condition in senior dogs, which may be analogous to dementia such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people. In humans, AD has been associated with many risk factors such as reduced cerebral glucose metabolism, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) deficiency, chronic oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation. By targeting some of these risk factors, we have developed two nutritional solutions (medium chain triglyceride, MCT and Brain Protection Blend, BPB) to enhance cognitive function and slow aging-induced cognitive decline. These have been positively evaluated in colony housed senior dogs and cats. The objective of this clinical study was to evaluate the effects of diets with MCTs and the BPB on client-owned dogs with CDS. Participating veterinary clinics screened senior dogs for signs of CDS as determined by a Senior Canine Behavior Questionnaire and a Canine Medical Health Questionnaire. Eighty-seven dogs were randomly enrolled into one of three diet groups with 29 dogs per group: Control, 6.5% MCT oil + BPB (6.5% MCT diet), 9% MCT oil + BPB (9% MCT diet). Diets were fed for a period of 90 days, and each dog's CDS signs were re-evaluated at day 30 and day 90. All 6 categories of the CDS signs were significantly improved (p <0.05) in the dogs given the 6.5% MCT diet at the end of the 90-day study. Control only improved in 4 out 6 categories. The 9% MCT diet only improved in dogs that accepted the diet. The results from this dog study confirm the benefits of MCT and BPB in managing clinical signs of CDS in dogs. The results support our hypothesis that targeting known risk factors associated with brain aging and AD is able to improve symptoms of CDS in dogs. These data may facilitate the development of similar nutrient blends to manage MCI and AD.

Employers have increasingly turned to virtual interviews to facilitate online, socially distanced selection processes in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is little understanding about the experience of job candidates in these virtual interview contexts. We draw from Event System Theory (Morgeson et al., 2015) to advance and test a conceptual model that focuses on a high-stress, high-stakes setting and integrates literatures on workplace stress with literatures on applicant reactions. We predict that when applicants ruminate about COVID-19 during an interview and have higher levels of COVID-19 exhaustion, they will have higher levels of anxiety during virtual interviews, which in turn relates to reduced interview performance, lower perceptions of fairness, and reduced intentions to recommend the organization. Further, we predict that three factors capturing COVID-19 as an enduring and impactful event (COVID-19 duration, COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 deaths) will be positively related to COVID-19 exhaustion. We tested our propositions with 8,343 job applicants across 373 companies and 93 countries/regions. Consistent with predictions, we found a positive relationship between COVID-19 rumination and interview anxiety, and this relationship was stronger for applicants who experienced higher (vs. lower) levels of COVID-19 exhaustion. In turn, interview anxiety was negatively related to interview performance, fairness perceptions, and recommendation intentions. Moreover, using a relevant subset of the data (n = 6,136), we found that COVID-19 duration and deaths were positively related to COVID-19 exhaustion. This research offers several insights for understanding the virtual interview experience embedded in the pandemic and advances the literature on applicant reactions.

Objectives Fel d1 is a major allergen that may affect humans sensitive to cat allergens, and it can be detected in the saliva and on the hair of cats. We studied the variability of salivary Fel d1 in typical house cats (ie, neutered domestic shorthair cats) and the factors that could be associated with that variability. Methods Saliva samples were collected from 64 cats, twice daily, every other day, for a year, at two locations (Missouri, USA, and Ontario, Canada). Salivary Fel d1 levels were measured using an immunoassay. Correlations and linear mixed-effects model analyses were run to assess which factors significantly affected the Fel d1 levels. Results Salivary Fel d1 levels varied significantly both within and among cats. Cat averages over the year ranged from 0.4–35 µg/ml, and a higher average correlated with a higher SD ( P <0.001). The first collection of the day tended to be higher than the afternoon collection ( P <0.001). Sex, coat color or body size did not relate to cats’ average Fel d1 production, but older cats tended to have lower salivary Fel d1 levels ( P <0.001). Fel d1 levels from four samples were reliable in identifying cats producing stable low levels of Fel d1. Conclusions and relevance We observed a wide and continuous range of salivary Fel d1 production in domestic shorthair cats. In particular, a subset of cats had stable low levels throughout the course of the year, and they can be identified by analyzing a few saliva samples rather than their physical appearance.

Imagined intergroup contact (IIC) has been demonstrated to alleviate prejudice toward social groups as a whole, but the extent to which it prevents biases in ratings of individual job candidateshas not yet been examined. This study uses a simulated employment interview where a female candidate either higher or lower in body fat is rated by participants who have undergone an IIC or a control manipulation. IIC successfully alleviated discrimination in ratings of interviewee competence but had no significant effect on ratings of warmth. Competence ratings fully mediated the effect of the two-way interaction of IIC and interviewee body fat on a dichotomous hiring recommendation provided 1 week later. IIC may be an effective and inexpensive intervention for reducing bias in job interview contexts.

Core body temperature (CBT) rhythm, locomotor activity, and actigraphy-sleep were evaluated in geriatric dogs with cognitive dysfunction. Dogs ( n =33; 9–16 yrs) performed a spatial working memory task and divided into three memory groups: Low, Moderate, and High, with subsequent evaluation of learning and attention. Rectal CBT was recorded 6 times over a 17.5 h period and Actiwatch® activity monitoring system for 5 days while housed indoors with 12 h light/dark schedule. Rhythm of daily activity data was evaluated using the traditional cosinor analysis and generation of non-parametric measures of interdaily stability, intradaily variability, and relative amplitude. CBT differed with time (F (5, 130)=11.36, p <0.001), and was the highest at 19:00C. CBT at 19:00 was positively related ( p <0.01) to memory ( r (31) = 0.50) and 3-domain cognitive performance index (memory, learning, attention; r (31) = 0.39). Total daytime or night-time activity did not differ between memory groups, but hourly counts at 8:00 were positively related ( p <0.05) to memory ( r (31) = 0.52), learning ( r (31) = 0.36), and 3-domain cognitive performance index ( r (31) = 0.53). There were no significant differences between age or memory groups for any circadian rhythm measures. Daytime naps were inversely related to memory accuracy ( r (31) = −0.39; p <0.05) and BT at 15:00 (r (30) = −0.51; p <0.01). Lower peak BT and inc r eased napping may predict some aspects of cognitive performance of working memory, learning, and/or attention processes in these geriatric dogs, but minimal diurnal rhythm disruption of locomotor activity is observed when these cognitive processes decline.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of drinking nutrient-enriched water (NW) on water intake and indices of hydration in healthy domestic cats fed a dry kibble diet ad libitum. ANIMALS 18 domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURES Group-housed cats were assigned to tap water (TW; n = 9) or NW (9) groups. All cats received TW at baseline (days -7 to -1). No changes were made to the food-water regimen for the TW group. The NW group received NW instead of TW from days 0 through 10, then received TW and NW in separate bowls (days 11 through 56). Food intake was measured through day 10; liquid consumed by drinking was measured throughout the study. Blood and urine samples were collected at predetermined times for analyses; 48-hour urine collection (days 28 through 30 or 31 through 33) was performed to assess output volume and aid endogenous creatinine-based glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determination. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS Baseline TW and calorie intake were similar between groups. The NW treatment was significantly associated with increased liquid consumption during the treatment phase. Mean urine output was significantly higher in the NW group (15.2 mL/kg/d) than in the TW group (10.3 mL/kg/d). Mean GFR (1.75 vs 1.87 mL/min/kg, respectively) did not differ between groups. Effects of treatment and time were each significant for urine specific gravity and osmolality and urine creatinine, phosphate, and urea nitrogen concentrations, with lower values for the NW group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that consumption of the NW can increase liquid intake and improve measures of hydration in healthy cats. These effects may offer health benefits to some cats in need of greater water consumption.

OBJECTIVE To investigate water intake and urine measures in healthy cats provided free-choice access to a nutrient-enriched water with (NWP) or without (NW) added poultry flavoring offered at 3 different volumes in addition to tap water (TW). ANIMALS 36 domestic shorthair cats. PROCEDURES Control group cats (n = 4) received dry food with TW ad libitum throughout the study. Cats of the NW and NWP groups (n = 16/group) received the same food with TW only (period 1; 7 days) followed by TW and the assigned treatment ad libitum at 1X, 1.5X, and 2X the volume of TW consumed in period 1 during periods 2 (17 days), 3 (10 days), and 4 (10 days), respectively. Liquid consumption, food intake, and total water intake (from all sources) were measured; urine collected over 48 hours in each period was measured, and urine specific gravity (USG) was determined. Data were analyzed with mixed-effects models. RESULTS TW and food calorie intake were similar among groups in period 1; TW consumption by control cats did not differ during the study. Liquid consumed by drinking increased 18%, 57%, and 96% for the NWP group in periods 2, 3, and 4, respectively, with increases of 25% and 44% for the NW group in periods 3 and 4, respectively, compared with period 1 values for the same groups. Increased urine output and decreased USG were significantly associated with period and treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increasing the volumes of NW or NWP offered to healthy cats led to increased free liquid consumption and was associated with greater urine output and dilution as measured by USG. Studies are warranted to determine whether these treatments provide health benefits for cats in need of greater water consumption.