Exhaled breath condensate analysis in horses: A scoping review.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection is a non-invasive sampling method that provides valuable information regarding the health status of the respiratory system by measuring inflammatory mediators, such as pH, hydrogen peroxide, and leukotriene B4. This scoping review aimed to provide an update on the collection and analysis of EBC in horses. A systematic search of three electronic databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, identified 40,978 articles, of which 1590 duplicates were excluded. Moreover, 39,388 articles were excluded because of irrelevance to this review, such as studies on other species, studies on respiratory exhalation, reviews, and theses. Finally, we evaluated 14 articles in this review. Our review revealed significant differences in the collection, storage, and processing of EBC samples, emphasizing the need for standardizing the technique and using specific equipment to improve the interpretation of the results.

Correction: Mixed management in growing and finishing pigs: Differences between gender and their impacts on behavior, growth performance, and physiological parameters.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284481.].

Validation of targeted selective treatment (TST) methodology for gastrointestinal parasites of adult sheep in different physiological states.

We aimed to validate a targeted selective treatment (TST) methodology for treating parasitic gastrointestinal infections in ewes in different physiological states using parasitological and hematological parameters. Forty ewes were monitored from December 2021 to June 2022 and evaluated during various physiological stages in their life cycle. Before starting the experiment, a fecal egg count (FEC) reduction test was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the anthelmintic (AH) treatment. Weekly assessments were performed based on the Famacha© (F) system and body condition score (BCS), and ewes were subjected to AH treatment when necessary, with their physiological states recorded. Ewes were treated when they presented F ≥ 3, BCS ≤ 2.0 (when F = 2), or submandibular edema. Parasitological, i.e., FEC, and hematological, i.e., hematocrit (Ht), parameters were evaluated monthly to determine the efficiency of the TST methodology. Comparisons between the mean Ht and FEC values in ewes subjected to AH treatment and untreated ewes were performed using analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's test. Spearman's correlation was performed to determine the correlation between the variables, i.e., F scores, BCS, Ht, and FEC. All tests were performed at a significance level of 5 %. During the experimental period, 1138 evaluations were performed. The main reason for AH treatment was F ≥ 3. Ewes in early pregnancy, lactation and late pregnancy received comparatively more AH treatments than the other physiological states. Ewes in late pregnancy and lactation exhibited lower mean Ht values (23.5 % and 22.9 %) and higher mean FEC values (3269 and 1426) compared with those in early pregnancy (30.2 % and 727 EPG). In addition, a statistically significant difference was observed in the Ht and FEC values of ewes that presented submandibular edema (P < 0.001) compared with those that did not exhibit submandibular edema. The genus Haemonchus sp. showed a 96.4 % prevalence in coprocultures. A positive correlation existed between F scores and FEC (r = 0.3819) and a negative correlation between F scores and Ht (r = -0.4728). Ewes that needed AH treatment had lower mean Ht values than ewes that did not need the treatment (19.2 % × 29.3 %; P < 0.001) and higher mean FEC values (8747 × 1163; P < 0.001), confirming that these ewes needed AH treatment. The TST methodology based on F scores, BCS, and submandibular edema could effectively identify individuals in the herd needing AH treatment, identifying 13 % additional cases requiring treatment than using only the F score criterion.

Productive performance of lambs born in different seasons of the year.

Background: The seasonality in lamb supply challenges the development of sheep production. Increasing the duration of the breeding season, aimed at distributing births throughout the year, enables a constant supply of lambs. However, the birth season can influence their productive performance. Aim: The objective was to evaluate the effect of birth season on birth live weight (BW), daily live weight gain from birth to weaning (DWGBW), weaning live weight (WW), and daily live weight gain from weaning to 150 days (DWGW-150) slaughter age, as well as the influence of ewe age and body condition score (BCS), sex of the lamb, and type of pregnancy (single or twin) on these productive indices. Methods: The study analyzed production data comprising ten breeding seasons (from 2015 to 2019), 643 matings, and 531 lambs, using binary logistic regression, ANOVA, Tukey's, and t tests. Results: Lambs born in summer exhibited lower productive performance, as evidenced by lower DWGBW (0.22 ± 0.08 kg), WW (18.88 ± 7.82 kg), and DWGW-150 (0.13 ± 0.07 kg). Ewes with prepartum BCS between 3 and 4 gave birth to heavier lambs. After birth, lambs from ewes with BCS between 3 and 4 had a higher DWGBW, while lambs from ewes with postpartum BCS of 1.5 and 2 had a lower WW. Ewes aged 2 to 8 years gave birth to heavier lambs, and ewes aged ≥8 years weaned lambs at a lower weight. After weaning, the weight gain was similar among all age groups. Male lambs had higher DWGBW and WW than female lambs. Lambs from twin pregnancies had lower BW (3.95 ± 1.27 kg), lower DWGBW (0.21 ± 0.08 kg), and lower WW (17.59 ± 8.18 kg). The average lamb mortality rate between lambing and weaning was 12.5%, ranging from 9.8% to 13.9%, with no significant variations between birth seasons. Lambs born in spring and summer needed more anthelmintic treatments than those born in autumn and winter. Conclusion: The production of lambs outside the traditional season is possible; however, the productive performance of lambs born in the summer is lower than that in the other seasons of the year.

Influence of probiotic supplementation on parasitological parameters in lambs.

The control of parasitosis is based on the use of anthelmintics. However, its long-term and indiscriminate use can select populations of resistant nematodes. New alternatives such as probiotics are being studied to solve this problem. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an oral probiotic containing six different bacterial strains and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the blood biochemistry, parasitological, and histological parameters of naturally infected lambs. Forty-two weaned Texel or Ile de France crossbred lambs aged 86.9 ± 8.0 days and weighing 27.4 ± 3.7 kg were randomly allocated into three groups (n = 14 lambs). The control group (CG) was fed a basal diet without probiotic supplementation. The treatment group 1 g (T1G) was fed a basal diet with commercial probiotic supplementation at a dose of 1 g/lamb/day. The treatment group 5 g (T5G) was fed a basal diet with commercial probiotic supplementation at a dose of 5 g/lamb/day. The experimental period was 84 days, where the groups undergo mild natural infection. Every two weeks the hematocrit, total protein, albumin, globulin, fibrinogen, plasma protein, fecal egg count (FEC), and fecal consistency score were evaluated. Twenty lambs were slaughtered for histological evaluation of the rumen and abomasal wall and for counting abomasal nematodes. The area, length, and number of eggs from the recovered Haemonchus contortus female uteri were measured. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (p ≤ 0.05). The area and length of Haemonchus contortus females from T1G were smaller (p < 0.01) than those of CG and T5G. The number of eggs from the H. contortus female uterus was lower (p < 0.01) in T1G and T5G. Evaluating the incidence of diarrhea, the T1G and T5G groups had a higher prevalence with a 35% and 39% score of zero, respectively (p < 0.05), while the CG group had 22%. All other evaluated parameters showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the groups. The probiotic had a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal health of the weaned lambs through a decrease of the area, length, and the number of eggs of female H. contortus and an improvement in fecal consistency.

Mixed management in growing and finishing pigs: Differences between gender and their impacts on behavior, growth performance, and physiological parameters.

Mixing, a common management strategy used to regroup pigs, has been reported to impair individual performance and affect pig welfare because of the establishment of a new social hierarchy after regrouping. In this study we aimed to determine whether mixing management (non-mixed vs. mixed) and gender (gilts vs. barrows) affect the social and non-social behavior, performance, and physiological parameters of pigs. A total of 96 growing pigs (48 barrows and 48 females) were separated into two treatments: control (CT)-pigs that were mixed once during the growing-finishing period; and social stress (SS)-pigs that were mixed thrice during the growing-finishing period. We recorded social and non-social behaviors, injury score, performance, and physiological parameters during the experimental period. Data were grouped by the period, based on each mix performed, and overall values. The statistical analysis performed considered gender and treatment. For treatment, during period-II and III, the SS group presented the highest frequency of agonistic interactions (AI), stayed longer lying laterally (LL) and sternly (LS), and explored more enrichment material (ER) than the CT group. Furthermore, SS pigs presented the highest injury score in the ear, head, and middle and posterior regions. Compared to the females, the barrows spent more time at the electronic feed station and initiated most of the agonistic interactions during period-II, and they presented a higher injury score for the ear and head regions during period-III. In conclusion, repeated regrouping significantly affected social and feeding behavior without severely altering performance and physiological parameters. Furthermore, different patterns of social and feeding behavior, agonistic interactions, and injury scores between barrows and females were observed. This study provides an understanding of the impact of mixing management and gender differences on pigs, and this knowledge can be used to improve swine productivity and welfare.

Reproductive performance of European-breed ewes in different seasons of the year under mid-latitude.

The study evaluated the reproductive performance of Ile de France, Texel, Suffolk and crossbred ewes in different seasons, considering season of mating, age, body condition score and breed. The herd was located at geographic coordinates -25.66114429 S, -49.27262198 W, in Fazenda Rio Grande, Paraná State, southern Brazil, in a semi-intensive system. 643 mating were evaluated, under natural oestrous conditions in 10 consecutive breeding seasons (2015-2019), under a body condition score between 2.5 and 3.5 in 93.9%. Data were analysed using Chi-square tests, binary logistic regression, ANOVA and t-test. Considering the breeds and crossbred animals, a pregnancy rate (PR) of 83% (winter), 91% (autumn) and 89% (summer) with no differences between them was obtained, except for 77% PR in spring (p < .05). Ile de France and crossbred ewes showed similar PR in all four seasons. Suffolk ewes showed similar fertility rates in summer, autumn and winter, but reduced in spring (p < .05); Texel ewes showed lower PR in summer and spring compared to autumn and winter (p < .05). The twin PR (TPR) in autumn, winter and spring showed no differences, except for summer (p < .05). Age did not influence the PR of ewes <2 years, 2-8 years and >8 years in the seasons, except in summer. It was concluded that the reproduction of European ewes breeds under medium latitude, combined with the use of constant management and feeding conditions, resulted in a fertility rate above 77% in all seasons, resulting in constant production of lambs.

Inclusion of Soybean Hulls (Glycine max) and Pupunha Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes) Nanofibers in the Diet of Growing Rabbits: Effects on Zootechnical Performance and Intestinal Health.

This study evaluated the inclusion of nanofibers from soybean hulls and pupunha peach palm heart sheaths in the diet of growing rabbits. Twenty-four New Zealand White rabbits (male and female) were allocated in three experimental groups: control, fed a basal diet; Nanosoy, fed a diet containing 7% soybean-hull nanofibers; and Nanopupunha, fed a diet containing 7% pupunha palm heart-sheath nanofibers. The Nanosoy-group rabbits showed poorer final weight, daily feed intake, and daily weight gain than those in other groups. In the duodenum, villus height, total mucosal thickness, and villus width were higher in rabbits that received nanofiber-supplemented diets than in the controls. Higher villus density and wall thickness were observed in Nanopupunha-fed rabbits than in the controls. In the jejunum, although the crypt depth was higher in Nanosoy-fed rabbits, the villus height:crypt depth ratio was higher in the Nanopupunha-fed group. Nanosoy-fed animals exhibited increased count Enterobacteriaceae populations. Rabbits in both nanofiber-fed groups exhibited higher lactic-acid bacterial counts than those in the control-diet group. Therefore, although the inclusion of 7% Nanopupunha in the diet of rabbits did not alter the performance, it improved intestinal health and increased the lactic-acid bacterial count in the cecum of growing rabbits.

Systems biology network reveals the correlation between COX-2 expression and Ch 7q copy number alterations in Ch 11q-deleted pediatric neuroblastoma tumors.

Tumor-associated inflammation and chromosomal aberrations can play crucial roles in cancer development and progression. In neuroblastoma (NB), the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is associated with copy number alterations on the long arm of chromosome 11 (Ch 11q), defining an aggressive disease subset. This retrospective study included formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples collected from nine patients during diagnosis at the pediatric Pequeno Principe Hospital, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, and post-chemotherapy (CT). COX-2 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and correlated with the genome profile of paired pre- and post-CT samples, determined by array comparative genomic hybridization. A systems biology approach elucidated the PTGS2 network interaction. The results showed positive correlations between pre-CT Ch 7q gain and COX-2 expression (ρ = 0.825; p-value = 0.006) and negative correlations between Ch 7q gain and Ch 11q deletion (ρ = -0.919; p-value = 0.0005). Three samples showed Ch 11q deletion and Ch 7q gain. Network analysis identified a direct connection between CAV-1 (Ch 7q) and COX-2 in NB tumors and highlighted the connection between amplified genes in Ch 7q and deleted ones in 11q. The identification of hub-bottleneck-switch genes provides new biological insights into this connection between NB, tumorigenesis, and inflammation.

Simultaneous feeding of calcium butyrate and tannin extract decreased the incidence of diarrhea and proinflammatory markers in weaned piglets.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of associating calcium butyrate with tannin extract, compared to an antimicrobial on the growth performance, incidence of diarrhea, intestinal histology, immune-expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in piglets. METHODS: Seventy-two piglets (36 barrows and 36 gilts) weaned at 28±2 d and initial body weight of 7.17±1.07 kg were allocated to 3 treatments in a randomized complete block design with 8 replicates per treatment and 3 animals per experimental unit. Treatments were composed of NC, negative control: basal diet without additives; PC, positive control: basal diet + 40 mg/kg of colistin sulfate; or BT, basal diet + calcium butyrate + tannin extract. The butyrate and tannin inclusion levels were 0.15% in the pre-starter phase and 0.075% in the starter phase. Incidence of diarrhea was monitored daily, and on d 14 and 35 of experiment, 1 animal from each experimental unit was slaughtered to collect intestinal samples. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed for growth performance. The butyrate-and tannin-based additive resulted in reduced (p<0.05) incidence of diarrhea in piglets during d 1 to 14 and d 1 to 35 in comparison with the other treatments. Piglets that consumed the diet containing the calcium-butyrate and tannin showed a lower (p<0.05) crypt depth in the duodenum than those receiving the NC treatment at 14 d of experimentation. The BT treatment provided a lower (p<0.05) immune-expression of COX-2 at 14 d and TNF-α at 35 d in the duodenum. CONCLUSION: Association between calcium butyrate and tannin extract resulted in a significant decrease in the incidence of diarrhea and inflammatory process in the duodenum of piglets. Therefore, calcium-butyrate combined with tannin could be a part of an alternative program to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the diet of weaned piglets.

Soybean meal and poultry offal meal effects on digestibility of adult dogs diets: Systematic review.

Soybean meal and poultry offal meal are protein ingredients commonly used in the formulation of commercial diets for dogs. However, there remains great variability in the data on the digestibility of each protein source. This systematic review study aimed to examine the intake, apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients and fecal output of protein sources (soybean meal and poultry offal meal) in adult dog food as reported in published studies. The article search was conducted in August 2018 in the PUBMED, SciELO, Science Direct and AGRIS indexing databases. The literature search was performed using "digestibility", "source protein" and "dog" as the main key terms combined with sub-terms to broaden the scope of the search. Criteria were defined for readability, exclusion and inclusion of articles. Results were organized in groups according to the search in the indexing databases, totaling 1,414 articles. After the works were selected following the inclusion criteria, 17 articles were evaluated in this review. According to most studies, plant-based ingredients have a less variable nutritional composition than animal-derived ingredients and poultry offal meal increases the digestibility coefficients of nutrients and energy and reduces fecal dry matter production. Factors inherent to raw-material origin, ingredient and food processing, as well as the high heterogeneity of the methodologies evaluated in the studies are directly related to the obtained results. To ensure a more accurate evaluation of the quality and of effects on the digestibility of protein sources, we recommended that articles include ingredient processing data and that the variables be evaluated under standardized study conditions.

Comparison of nonlinear mathematical models for lamb growth analysis.

With the objective to determine the best mathematical model that could demonstrate the relationship between body weight and age in crossbred sheep, and to evaluate its applicability in different farms, 9985 live weight records of 837 crossbred lambs of Texel, Ile de France, Suffolk, and Hampshire Down breeds were used. Brody, von Bertalanffy, Richards, Logistic, and Gompertz models were fitted to the weight data, which were compared based on adjusted R2, Syx%, chi-square, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, as well as residual analysis. After selecting the model, lambs whose weights at different ages fell within, below, or above ±20% of the values predicted by the model were classified as medium, low, or high performance, respectively. To validate the model, we used a validation dataset comprising 2898 weights of lambs from 6 different farms. Based on statistical analysis and biological characteristics (sigmoid trend of weight over time, weight at birth, and standard deviation), the model that best represented the growth of the lambs was the Richards model. The percentage of lambs classified as below, within, and above the predicted values based on the model was highly similar for the original and validation data, which indicates that this model could be used in different farms. It was concluded that the Richards model best described the live weight growth of crossbred lambs and aided in classifying the lambs as high, medium, or low performance, thereby providing a complementary tool in management decision-making.

Is the Famacha© system always the best criterion for targeted selective treatment for the control of haemonchosis in growing lambs?

Targeted selective treatment (TST) aims to aid in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants, identifying animals that require treatment with the purpose of preserving the Refugia population and delaying the buildup of anthelmintic (AH) resistance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of both productive and clinical indicators in the selective treatment of gastrointestinal parasites in growing lambs. Two experiments were carried out between 2015 and 2016. Experiment 1: lambs (n = 70) exclusively raised on pasture were evaluated from the ages of 60 days to 180 days old. Experiment 2: lambs (n = 48) raised on pasture and fed concentrated commercial supplementation were evaluated from the ages of 60 days to 150 days old. Parasitological (eggs per gram of feces - EPG), productive (average daily weight gain - DWG), and clinical (hematocrit - Ht and FAMACHA© system - F) parameters were measured every 14 days. The lambs were divided into 4 experimental groups with different criteria for AH treatment: the control group (CG), was treated with AH every 30 days; the FAMACHA© group (FG), in which lambs classified as F3, F4, and F5 were treated with AH; Daily weight gain group (DWGG), in which lambs with average DWG ≤ the average DWG of the CG minus one standard deviation were treated with AH; FAMACHA© + daily weight gain group (FDWGG), in which lambs classified as F3, F4 and F5 and/or lambs with average DWG ≤ the average DWG of the CG minus one standard deviation were treated with AH. In experiment 1, no significant differences in the general means of DWG and Ht (p > 0.05) were observed between experimental groups, although the lowest mean EPG was observed in the CG (p < 0.05). In experiment 2, the lowest mean EPG (p < 0.05) was also observed in the CG (1044.5 EPG), and the highest mean (p < 0.05) in the FG (4845.5 EPG). There were differences in the mean DWG of the CG (198.4 g) and FDWGG (200.0 g), which were both higher (p < 0.05) than that of the FG (90.5 g), and similar (p > 0.05) to the DWGG (151.8 g). In both experiments, considering the total mean number of AH treatments, FG had the lowest number of lambs treated with AH (p < 0.05), with the DWG and FDWGG being similar to each other (p > 0.05). Even when Haemonchus is the major parasite, it is not recommended to use the FAMACHA© system as an exclusive criterion for TST in growing lambs. The DWG productive criterion can be used effectively in the TST of growing lambs.

Impacts on performance of growing-finishing pigs under heat stress conditions: a meta-analysis.

High ambient temperatures are a challenge for animal production around the world, and they are one of the major reasons for economic and productive losses in pig production. Under stress conditions, the energy contribution to productive functions is reduced, generating health imbalances, decreased productivity rates and changes in animal behavior. Despite the numerous articles published on this subject, the variability of results on performance parameters is high. For this reason, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the actual impact of high ambient temperature (HAT) (29 °C to 35 °C) on growing-finishing pig performance, compared with animals kept in a thermoneutral environment (TNT) (18 °C to 25 °C), based on meta-analysis. Data on average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (FI) and feed gain ratio (F:G) were extracted from 22 (n = 22) papers published in scientific journals. The values were analyzed using an expansion of the t-test, considering the random effect of each study. Results showed that HAT reduced the values of ADG (654.38 vs 595.81 g/d) and FI (2.141 vs 1.875 g/d) when compared with the thermoneutral group. There was no statistical difference between the F:G values for both groups. In conclusion, high ambient temperatures negatively influence performance parameters of growing-finishing pigs when compared with those in thermoneutral conditions.

Mineral supplement with pre- and probiotic improves respiratory immune status in yearling racing Thoroughbred horses: preliminary results / Suplemento mineral com pre-e probiótico melhora a condição imunológica respiratória em cavalos sobreano Puro Sangue Inglês de corrida: resultados preliminares

ABSTRACT: There are evidences of intestinal flora influence on the airway immune response. However, this information is scarce with regard to horses. The present preliminary study aimed to investigate the effects of a commercial mineral supplement containing probiotics and prebiotics on the respiratory immune response of horses supplemented with them during the first months of stabling and race training. Twelve TB yearlings were examined at the breeding farm at the beginning of the study (June 2016, henceforth M0) and then reexamined one (July 2016, henceforth M1) and five (November 2016, henceforth M2) months after being stabled at a racetrack in Curitiba, Brazil. Clinical and hematological examinations, airway endoscopy, and tracheal wash (TW) cytology were performed. After the initial examination, horses were randomly divided between the treatment group (TG), which received 10 grams of the supplement daily, and the control group (CG). There was no difference between the groups in terms of clinical parameters; in the hematological examination, eosinophil count was lower in the TG in M1 as compared with M0 (P = 0.045). Pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia (PLH) improved in the TG during M1 as compared with M0 (P = 0.007). However, on the CG, PLH remained unchanged. Relative number of eosinophils in the TW was 86.1% higher in M1 than M0 for the CG; in the TG; however, eosinophils were absent and remained within normal limits until M2. In conclusion, this study revealed a positive influence of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation on the respiratory immune response of young TB race horses. Further investigations are recommended.

RESUMO: As doenças respiratórias são uma grande preocupação em cavalos Puro Sangue Inglês (PSI) jovens durante o primeiro ano de treinamento para corrida. Existem evidências da influência da flora intestinal sobre a condição imunológica do organismo, incluindo a resposta de defesa das vias aéreas, porém essas informações são escassas nos cavalos. O presente estudo preliminar teve como objetivo investigar a influência da suplementação com núcleo mineral comercial com probiótico e prebiótico sobre a resposta imunológica respiratória de cavalos PSI durante os primeiros meses de estabulagem e treinamento. Doze cavalos PSI na fase de sobreano, machos e fêmeas, foram examinados ainda no haras (M0) e, um mês (M1) e cinco meses (M5) após estabulação no hipódromo em Curitiba, Brasil. Os cavalos foram submetidos a exames clínico e hematológico, endoscopia das vias aéreas e citologia do lavado traqueal (LT). Após o primeiro exame, os cavalos foram divididos aleatoriamente em grupo tratado (GT), que recebeu 10g por dia do suplemento, e grupo de controle (GC). Não houve diferença nos parâmetros clínicos, já no exame hematológico do GT, a contagem de eosinófilos foi menor em M1 quando comparado a M0 (P = 0,045). A hiperplasia folicular linfoide ficou dentro do limite normal e menores no GT em M1 quando comparado a M0 (P = 0.007), o que não ocorreu para o GC. O número relativo de eosinófilos no LT foi 86,1% maior em M1 versus M0 para o GC, enquanto no GT, os eosinófilos estavam ausentes e permaneceram dentro dos limites normais até M2. Concluindo, neste estudo preliminar, evidenciou-se uma influência positiva da suplementação probiótica e prebiótica na resposta imunológica respiratória de cavalos PSI jovens, justificando investigações adicionais.

Percepção e atitudes do ser humano sobre guarda responsável, zoonoses, controle populacional e cães em vias públicas / Perception and attitudes of the sample population on responsible custody, zoonosis and stray dogs

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a percepção sobre guarda responsável, zoonoses, controle populacional de cães e gatos e a situação de cães de rua, de uma amostra de pessoas pertencentes à Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná. Para isso foram enviados questionários online com 22 perguntas. Participaram dessa pesquisa 239 pessoas, a maioria do sexo feminino, com faixa etária entre 25 e 35 anos, com ensino superior completo, residentes principalmente em Curitiba/PR. Possuíam cão ou gato como animal de estimação, 57% dos respondentes, e em relação à quantidade de animais por respondente, o número médio de cães foi de 2,62 ± 1,35 e gatos de 1,56 ± 1,07. Tanto proprietários de cães como gatos, afirmaram praticar com regularidade a vacinação, administração de vermífugos e atendimento veterinário de seus animais. O acesso dos cães à rua foi realizado com coleira e guia por 50,53% dos respondentes. Em relação à zoonose, 62% afirmaram saber o que é e conseguiram citar um exemplo. Sobre a presença de animal solto no seu bairro, 78% dos respondentes afirmaram que sim, 49% observaram que há cães de rua que são mantidos por alguém e 71% afirmaram que o responsável pelo controle desses animais deve ser o governo e a sociedade. Diante das respostas obtidas, foi possível identificar que essa amostra populacional reconheceu seis tipos de zoonoses, percebeu a importância da guarda responsável de cães e gatos e afirmou que não haja um único responsável pelos cães de rua.

This study aimed to evaluate the perception of responsible custody, zoonosis, population control of cats and dogs and the situation of stray dogs in a sample of people belonging to the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná. For this online questionnaires with 22 questions was sent. 239 people participated in this survey, the majority were female, aged between 25-35 years with complete living mainly in Curitiba / PR higher education. They had a dog or cat as a pet, 57% of respondents, and relative to the amount of animals responding by, the average number of dogs was 2.62 ± 1.35 and 1.56 ± 1.07 for cats. Both dog owners like cats, practicing regularly said vaccination administration of wormers and vet care for their animals. The access of the street dogs was held with collar and leash by 50.53% of respondents. Regarding zoonosis, 62% claimed to know what it is and managed to cite an example. About the presence of loose animals in your neighborhood, 78% of respondents said yes, 49% noted that there stray dogs that are kept by someone, and 71% stated that the responsibility for controlling these animals should be the government and society. Given the responses, we found that this sample population recognized six types of zoonosis, realized the importance of responsible dog guard and cats and stated that there is no single responsible for stray dogs.

Bioatividade de óleos essenciais de sassafrás e eucalipto em cascudinho / Bioactivity of essential oils of Brazilian sassafras and eucalyptus against lesser mealworm

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a bioatividade de óleos essenciais de sassafrás (Ocotea odorifera) e eucalipto (Eucalyptus viminalis) no controle de larvas e adultos de cascudinho (Alphitobius diaperinus), comparando-se seu potencial inseticida. Os óleos essenciais foram obtidos por meio de extração por arraste a vapor de água em escala piloto. Foi empregada a técnica de papel de filtro contaminado para a avaliação do número de insetos mortos. No bioensaio definitivo, foram selecionadas 11 concentrações e um controle (solvente) para determinação da taxa de mortalidade e CL50 dos dois óleos testados. As larvas foram mais suscetíveis que os adultos ao óleo essencial de sassafrás e menos suscetíveis que os adultos, quando expostas ao óleo de eucalipto. Tanto larvas quanto adultos de A. diaperinus foram mais suscetíveis ao óleo essencial de sassafrás (CL50 adulto 0,26mL l-1 e larva 0,12mL l-1) que ao de eucalipto (CL50 adulto 1,37mL l-1 e larva 1,72mL l-1), por via de intoxicação por contato (Ocotea odorifera: Larva y=3,3916+1,4699logx; Adulto; y=0,9486+2,8576logx; e Eucaliptus viminalis: Larva y=1,3643+1,6254logx; Adulto y=1,4487+1,6623logx). Conclui-se que os óleos essenciais de sassafrás e eucalipto podem ser empregados para o controle do cascudinho como uma nova estratégia no manejo integrado dessa praga.

This research aimed to evaluate the sassafras (Ocotea odorifera) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus viminalis) essential oils on the control of larvae and adults of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), comparing their insecticide potential. The essential oils were produced through water vapor extraction in a semi industrial scale. Contaminated paper filter technique was applied to evaluate the insect mortality. In the current experiment twelve concentrations were included for evaluation and among them one control (solvent) in order to settle the mortality rate and LC50 of the two tested essential oils. The larvae were more susceptible then the adults to sassafras essential oil exposure and less susceptible than the adults, when exposed to eucalypt essential oil. Larvae as well as adults of A. diaperinus were more susceptible to the sassafras (LC50 adults 0.26mL l-1 and larvae 0.12mL l-1) than the eucalyptus essential oil (LC50 adults 1.37mL l-1 and larvae 1.72mL l-1), by contact intoxication (Ocotea odorifera: Larvae y=3,3916+1,4699logx; Adult y=0,9486+2,8576logx; e Eucaliptus viminalis: Larvae y=1,3643+1,6254logx; Adult y=1,4487+1,6623logx). It is concluded that the essential oils of sassafras and eucalyptus can be used to control lesser mealworm and used as a new integrated strategy for management of this pest.