A new definitive host for Moniliformis cestodiformis (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae): first report of a naturally infected European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) / Um novo hospedeiro definitivo para Moniliformis cestodiformis (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae): primeiro relato de um ouriço (Erinaceus europaeus) naturalmente infectado

European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), are small mammals found in western Europe and also in parts of northern Europe. They can be seen in rural, suburban and urban areas, but are usually found in grassland with edge habitats. These animals are omnivorous and serve as definitive or paratenic hosts for several parasites, including acanthocephalans (phylum Acanthocephala). During necropsy of a European hedgehog, a single adult parasite was collected from the intestinal lumen and preserved in 70% ethanol. After morphological evaluation of the specimen, it was identified as Moniliformis cestodiformis (von Linstow, 1904) (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae). This is the first report of M. cestodiformis in a European hedgehog, as well as in Europe. More epidemiological studies need to be carried out to map the location and prevalence of this parasite in Portugal and the European continent.(AU)

Os ouriços, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), são pequenos mamíferos que se localizam na Europa ocidental e também em regiões do Norte da Europa. Eles podem ser avistados em áreas rurais, suburbanas e urbanas, mas são geralmente encontrados no campo no limite daqueles hábitats. São animais omnívoros e servem de hospedeiros definitivos ou paratênicos de muitos parasitas, incluindo acantocéfalos (filo Acanthocephala). Durante a necropsia de um ouriço, um exemplar adulto acantocéfalo foi recolhido do lúmen intestinal e preservado em etanol a 70%. Depois de uma avaliação morfológica desse exemplar, este foi identificado como Moniliformis cestodiformis (von Linstow, 1904) (Acanthocephala: Moniliformidae). Esta é a primeira referência de M. cestodiformis num ouriço, assim como na Europa. Mais estudos epidemiológicos necessitam ser realizados, para localizar este parasita e calcular a sua prevalência em Portugal e no continente europeu.(AU)

Abelisauroidea (Theropoda, Dinosauria) from Africa: a review of the fossil record

The Continental African abelisauroid theropod dinosaur fossil record from the Jurassic-Cretaceous periods is becoming increasingly better understood, and offers great insight into the evolution and biogeography of this long-lived group of carnivores. Abelisauroidea is among the most familiar groups of theropod dinosaurs from Gondwana, with fossil records in South America, Australia, India and Africa, along with Europe. The objective of the present study is to review the fossil record of abelisauroids in continental Africa. Based on the literature and records from the online databases "The Paleobiology Database" and "The Theropod Database", we review the distribution of these theropods in Africa and comment on their evolution. The African continent is a major region of importance when it comes to 26 Abelisauroidea fossil findings, including records of both major subdivisions of the clade: the Abelisauridae and Noasauridae families. The oldest Abelisauroidea fossil record found in Africa dates from the Late Jurassic, while the final records date from the end of the Cretaceous. This indicates that clade was the longest surviving lineage of the large theropods of Africa, and they filled a variety of ecological roles, including apex predators, at the end of the Cretaceous, when tyrannosaurids occupied similar niches in the northern continents.

International competitiveness of exports of forest products / Competitividade internacional das exportações de produtos florestais madeireiros

This article analyzed the international competitiveness of exports of forest products from 2008 to 2018. The information is available in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the indicators used were: revealed comparative advantage (RCA), trade openness index (Oi) and the contribution to trade balance index (CTB). Results showed that the exportation of forest products are competitive, in addition gains in competitiveness have been observed by the RCA and in Europe, countries had losses in detriment of the financial crises and austerity measures adopted. All countries showed a low degree of openness by the Oi and had a comparative advantage by the CTB, except for China and Germany. It is concluded that the countries with bigger comparative advantages in the exportation of forest products were the ones that had contributed more for its commercial balance.

Este artigo analisou a competitividade internacional das exportações de produtos florestais, de 2008 e 2018. As informações estão disponíveis na Organização das Nações Unidas para Agricultura e Alimento (FAO) e os indicadores utilizados foram: vantagem comparativa revelada (RCA), o índice de abertura do comércio (Oi) e o índice de contribuição ao saldo comercial (CTB). Os resultados mostram que as exportações de produtos florestais são competitivas, ademais foram observados pelo RCA ganhos em competitividade e na Europa, os países tiveram perdas em detrimento das crises financeiras e medidas de austeridade adotadas. Todos os países apresentaram baixo grau de abertura pelo Oi e teve vantagem comparativa pelo CTB, com exceção da China e Alemanha. Conclui-se que os países com maiores vantagens comparativas nas exportações de produtos florestais foram os que mais contribuíram para o seu saldo comercial.

Occurrence of abomasal displacement in dairy cows from High-yielding dairy farms of Paraná state, Southern Brazil / Ocorrência do deslocamento de abomaso em vacas leiteiras de alta produção de fazendas do estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil

The present study aimed to verify the occurrence of displacement of the abomasum (DA) in dairy herds from a high-yielding dairy region of Southern Brazil. Data on breed, age, lactation number, days after calving, breeding system, number of animals, and number of lactating cows in the herd were obtained from 135 cases of DA. A total of 39 herds, and 6,454 cows, including 2,987 lactating cows from the municipality of Palmeira, Paraná State, were included in this study. The overall prevalence of DA was 2.09%, and occurrence of DA during lactation was 4.42%. Left displacement was more prevalent, with 94.07% of the cases. The mean number of lactations and age of the cows were 2.5±1.16 lactations and 50.9±18.5 months, respectively. DA occurred predominantly in the semi-intensive breeding system (68.1% of cases), during the first 4 weeks postpartum (84.4% of cases), in Black and White Holstein-Friesian cows (94.07% of cases), and during the winter (31.1% of cases). Cows with DA in high-yielding dairy farms in Southern Brazil were similar to cows from herds of high-milk-yielding regions of North America and Europe. Multiparous Black and White Holstein-Friesian cows showed the highest prevalence of DA during the transition period, mostly on the left side.

O presente estudo objetivou verificar a ocorrência do deslocamento de abomaso (DA) em rebanhos leiteiros de uma bacia leiteira de alta produção, na região sul do Brasil. Dados sobre raça, idade, números de lactação, número de dias após o parto, sistema de criação, número total de animais e de vacas em lactação foram obtidos de 135 casos de DA. Trinta e nove rebanhos, 6.454 vacas, sendo 2.987 vacas em lactação da cidade de Palmeira, Estado do Paraná, foram incluídos neste estudo. A frequência de DA foi de 2,09%, sendo que em vacas lactantes esta frequência foi de 4,42%. O deslocamento à esquerda foi o mais prevalente, com 94,07% dos casos. O número médio de lactações e a idade das vacas acometidas por DA foram 2,5±1,16 lactações e 50,9±18,5 meses, respectivamente. O DA ocorreu predominantemente em animais criados no sistema semi-intensivo (68,1% dos casos), durante as primeiras quatro semanas pós-parto (84,4% dos casos), em vacas Holandesa branco e preta (94,07% dos casos) e durante o inverno (31,1% dos casos). As vacas com DA em rebanhos leiteiros de alta produção do Sul do Brasil apresentaram similaridades com vacas de rebanhos de alta produção localizados em outros países da América do Norte e Europa. Vacas multíparas, Holandesa Preto e Branca e durante o período de transição tiveram a maior ocorrência de DA, sendo a maioria para o lado esquerdo.

Global phylogeography of the flood mosquito, Aedes vexans (Diptera: Culicidae), from mitochondrial DNA

This contribution endeavored to investigate the genetic structure and gene flow of the flood mosquito, Aedes vexans (Meigen, 1830). Using partial sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene, available from BOLD Systems and GenBank, the Haplotypic (Hd) and nucleotide (π) gene diversity, genetic structuring and gene flow of A. vexans at the global, continental, and country levels were calculated. In total, 1,184 sequences were obtained, distributed among America (88.60%; represented by EUA and Canada), Europe (7.35%), Asia (3.89%), and Africa (0.17%). From these, 395 haplotypes (H) without presence of pseudogenes (NUMTs) were detected. The cluster analyses grouped the haplotypes into six clades. Clade I includes haplotypes from countries in America and Europe, while clades II and III include haplotypes exclusively from Asia and Europe; clade IV grouped only one haplotype from Africa and clade V grouped haplotypes from America and Africa. The global Hd and π were 0.92 and 0.01, respectively. In addition, there is evidence of genetic structuring among continents (7.07%), countries (1.62%), and within countries (91.30%; FST = 0.08, p < 0.05) and no isolation by distance was detected (r = 0.003, p > 0.05). The genetic diversity of A. vexans was found to be greater in North America than in other continents. Although this provisional conclusion might be influenced by a sample bias, since 88.60% of the sequences are from America, is also plausible to consider that America corresponds to the ancestral distribution area of the flood mosquito. This hypothesis needs further testing, using a more comprehensive sample from other continents. Additionally, the six clusters found and their geographical distribution do not support previous proposals of splitting the genus into three subspecies confined to certain geographical areas.

Two species of the hoverfly genus Eumerus Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) new record for Pakistan

An updated checklist of the genus Eumerus Meigen, 1822 is presented from Pakistan along with two new country records, i.e., Eumerus vestitus Bezzi, 1912 and Eumerus sogdianus Stackelberg, 1952. Eumerus sogdianus is native to Central and Southern Europe, but recorded from east to Central and Southern Asia, and Eumerus vestitus is native to the Afrotropical region, but recently also recorded from India. Both species are collected from northern areas of Pakistan ­ the extreme edge of the western Himalayas, where a significant diversity of hoverflies has been reported in recent studies. A brief diagnosis, identification key, and a taxonomic remark on known Pakistani Eumerus species are presented. A distribution map and detailed photographs of the newly recorded species are also presented.(AU)

Seroprevalence of antibodies against smooth Brucella in small ruminants in the states of Sergipe, Bahia, Ceará and Paraíba / Soroprevalência de anticorpos contra Brucella lisa em pequenos ruminantes dos estados de Sergipe, Bahia, Ceará e Paraíba

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease widespread almost all over the world, representing a significant economic and public health problem. Brucella melitensis, B. suis and B. abortus are considered the most pathogenic species for humans. The most virulent species, B. melitensis is endemic in many parts of the world, particularly the biovar 3 in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. Some Latin American countries are seriously affected by biovar 1, especially Mexico, Peru and northern Argentina. Furthermore, while Brazil is considered free of this etiologic agent, one recurrent question is whether this infection really does not occur in Brazil or there is a lack of research/data on the subject. To answer this question, this study aims to investigate the occurrence of antibodies against smooth Brucella in goats and sheep in the states of Sergipe, Paraíba, Ceará and Paraíba. All samples were screened by the Rose Bengal test (RBT). The complement fixation (CFT) and the fluorescence polarization (FPT) tests were used as confirmatory tests. There were no positive samples in the confirmatory tests (both CFT and FPT). We, therefore, conclude that this result reinforces the previous knowledge regarding the exotic status of B. melitensis infection in Brazil.

A brucelose é uma das doenças de caráter zoonótico mais difundidas no mundo, representando um grande problema econômico e de saúde pública. A Brucella melitensis, a B. suis e a B. abortus são consideradas as mais patogênicas espécies para humanos. A espécie apontada como a mais virulenta é a B. melitensis, endêmica em várias partes do mundo, particularmente o biovar 3 na região do Mediterrâneo e na Europa Oriental. Alguns países da América Latina são seriamente afetados pelo biovar 1, especialmente México, Peru e norte da Argentina. O Brasil é considerado livre desse agente etiológico, porém sempre há o questionamento se a infecção não ocorre ou se falta pesquisa. Diante dessa questão, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a ocorrência de anticorpos contra amostras lisas de Brucella em caprinos e ovinos dos estados de Sergipe, Bahia, Ceará e Paraíba. Todas as amostras foram submetidas triagem pelo teste do antígeno acidificado tamponado (AAT). Como testes confirmatórios, utilizou-se a reação de fixação de complemento (RFC) e também o teste de polarização fluorescente (TPF). Nenhuma amostra foi positiva nos testes confirmatórios (RFC e TPF). Esse resultado comprova que a infecção por B. melitensis é exótica no Brasil.

Stress levels of mangalita, large white, and pietrain pigs reared in different housing systems in south eastern Europe / Níveis de estresse de mangalita, grandes porcos brancos e pietrain criados em diferentes sistemas de alojamento no sudeste europeu

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that regulates a wide range of vital processes throughout the body, including metabolism and the immune response. It also has a very important role in helping the body respond to stress. Numerous studies have been conducted around the world to compare the development rates of pigs raised indoors to those raised outdoors, but the results have been ambiguous and, in many cases, conflicting. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of various housing systems (indoors with no free access to outdoor runs or indoors with free access to outdoor runs) on stress levels and slaughter value in growing-finishing pigs.

O cortisol é um hormônio esteroide que regula uma ampla gama de processos vitais em todo o corpo, incluindo o metabolismo e a resposta imune. Ele também tem um papel muito importante em ajudar o corpo a responder ao estresse. Numerosos estudos foram realizados em todo o mundo para comparar as taxas de desenvolvimento de porcos criados em ambientes fechados com aqueles criados ao ar livre, mas os resultados foram ambíguos e, em muitos casos, conflitantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar os efeitos de vários sistemas de alojamento (dentro de casa sem acesso livre a corridas ao ar livre ou dentro de casa com acesso livre a corridas ao ar livre) nos níveis de estresse e no valor de abate em suínos em crescimento e terminação.

Environmental degradation and agriculture: an approach in countries by middle of indexes / Degradação ambiental e a agropecuária: uma abordagem em países por meio de índices

Society evolution is commonly followed by changes; however, some of them bring negative implications for the community. One of these consequences refers to environmental degradation, which has agricultural activity as one of its influencing agents, which is essentially characterized by man's predatory actions. Accordingly, this research analyzed the environmental degradation in 167 pattern in the agricultural world. Therefore, the Agricultural Environmental Degradation Index (IDAA) was used as a proxy for agricultural environmental degradation and the factor analysis technique. Results indicated that the most degraded country was Russia, which belongs to the European continent; however, the other positions were occupied predominantly by Africa, followed by North America and Oceania. Issues such as rural poverty and primitive natural settings can leverage this phenomenon. The lowest rates of degradation were concentrated on Central America and Europe, where agricultural activity was most incipient. In this sense, a directly proportional relationship between environmental degradation and agricultural practice was reported considering that countries dependent on this phenomenon had the most worrying results. Thereby, there is an emerging need for public policies that integrate economic and environmental dimensions that reduce negative impacts in the regions most degraded.

A evolução da sociedade comumente vem acompanhado de mudanças, no entanto, algumas delas têm trazido implicações negativas para a comunidade. Uma dessas consequências, diz respeito a degradação ambiental que tem como um de seus agentes influenciadores a atividade agropecuária, protagonizada essencialmente por ações predatórias do homem. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desse trabalho é analisar o padrão de degradação ambiental agropecuário de 167 países do mundo. Para tanto, foi utilizada a metodologia do Índice de Degradação Ambiental Agropecuária (IDAA) como proxy para a degradação ambiental agropecuária e a técnica de análise fatorial. Pelos resultados, identificou-se que o país mais degradado é a Rússia, pertencente ao continente europeu. Entretanto, as demais posições dos países mais degradados, foram predominantemente africanos, seguido do continente da América do Norte e Oceania. Questões como pobreza rural e cenários naturais primitivos podem alavancar esse fenômeno. Os menores índices de degradação concentraram-se nos continentes da América Central e Europa, onde a atividade agropecuária é mais incipiente. Nesse contexto, averiguou-se uma relação diretamente proporcional entre degradação ambiental e prática agropecuária, tendo em vista que países dependentes desse fenômeno foram os detentores de resultados mais preocupantes. Com isso, é emergente a necessidade de políticas públicas que integrem as dimensões econômicas e ambientais que atenuem os impactos negativos nas regiões mais degradadas.

Blue tongue virus in dairy cattle in the Southern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil - serological survey

Background: Blue tongue (BT) is a noncontagious viral disease transmitted by hematophagous arthropods, especially of the genus Culicoides. The economic impact of the disease is related not only to deaths in sheep herds but also to the possible correlation of virus infection with the development of other diseases, such as pneumonia, abortion and movement problems. The economic losses caused by Blue Tongue are linked to restrictions on the import and export of animals and their genetic material and to the reproductive disorders associated with this disease. In addition, the fact that cattle take the role of reservoir, combined with the care by other countries with outbreaks of infection and biological contamination of their products, hinders trade in Mercosul, United States and Europe. Cattle are affected by Blue Tongue Virus in endemic areas and in some epidemic areas, but the development of clinical disease is rare. The clinical signs, when evident, range from reproductive losses, such as embryonic death, abortion, fetal malformation, temporary sterility, infertility in bulls, stillbirths and the birth of weak animals. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological aspects of Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) infection in dairy cattle in the Lavras region, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials, Methods & Results: A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of cattle and herds seropositive for Blue Tongue in the southern region of Minas Gerais. In this study, 54 dairy farms were visited. A total of 586 serum samples were collected from cows of reproductive age. Sampling was random, and serum samples were collected from lactating cows over 24 months of age by puncture of the jugular vein and/or coccidian vein. The samples were transported and stored at the Setor de Patologia Veterinária, at the Universidade Federal de Lavras (SPV-UFLA), where they were centrifuged, and the serum aliquots were obtained, transferred to microtubes and kept at -20°C until the serological tests were performed. The samples were tested with the agarose gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) for anti-blue tongue virus antibodies. The AGID test is more practical and is the main method used to identify Blue Tongue Virus seroprevalence in different ruminant species. They are considered important tools for epidemiological surveillance of the disease. A prevalence of 83.28% was observed among animals that were seropositive for Blue Tongue Virus (488/586; IC 95% = 80.0 - 86.21). In addition, 100% (54/54; IC 95% = 93.4 - 100.0) of the farms had at least 1 positive animal, with rates ranging from 45.45% to 100% within the herds and where 22.22% of the farms had rates of 100% of the animals being positive. Discussion: Blue Tongue is a disease known to affect domestic and wild ruminants in Brazil. However, there is a lack of more precise information about its epidemiology and occurrence in the country and of joint efforts of researchers, producers and the government to understand in detail both the biology of vectors and the viral biology of Blue Tongue Virus in Brazil. This is the first record of detection of anti-blue tongue virus antibodies in cattle in the southern region of Minas Gerais. The results suggest that Blue Tongue Virus is present in cattle in the study area.

Genetic diversity analysis in dairy cows of Nariño, southwestern Colombia / Análise da diversidade genética em vacas leiteiras de Nariño, sudoeste da Colômbia

In Colombia, different dairy breeds were introduced from Europe and the United States, which underwent different crossing and selection processes that generated specific qualities or differences and which likely have their own genomic structure. To characterize genetic diversity, population structure, and admixture, we used genotypes from 23,182 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 130 animals representing four dairy cattle breed groups from Nariño. In addition, we merged genotypes from 43,043 autosomal SNPs, from 137 animals from the Decker database (Decker et al., 2014) (DRYAD doi:10.5061/dryad.th092). After the quality control process of pruning the merged dataset, we were left with 7,475 autosomal SNPs shared by both databases of Nariño (127 samples) and Decker (135 samples). Genetic diversity levels were moderate in all breeds (average observed heterozygosity = 0.40). Based on the fixation index values, we conclude that Brahman individuals were more differentiated than the taurine breeds (-0.374 to 0.076 for Brown Swiss). Pairs between taurine breeds showed low genetic differentiation (0.011-0.479). Principal component analysis revealed that in both the Nariño and Decker databases, the taurine formed the most compact cluster compared with other breeds known not to share the same ancestry, and Jersey, Brown Swiss, and Normand individuals exhibited high similarity with Holstein individuals. Hierarchical cluster analysis with Admixture revealed that Brahman, Jersey, Normand, and Holstein from the Decker databases most of which were clustered together with the dairy breeds of the Nariño highland tropics are not able to create different groups, thus having greater similarity with each other. This can be explained by the crosses made by farmers to increase milk production volume, always based on the Holstein breed with semen of bulls from America and Canada. Detrimental impacts due to intensive selection might cause some specific traits from the region to be fixed in the offspring, which can influence their adaptive capacity to the highland tropics.

Na Colômbia foram introduzidas diferentes raças leiteiras trazidas da Europa e dos Estados Unidos, que passaram por diferentes processos de cruzamento e seleção, gerando o desenvolvimento de características ou diferenças específicas nas raças bovinas e provavelmente, exibem sua própria estrutura genômica. Para caracterizar a diversidade genética e estrutura populacional foram utilizados genótipos de 23.182 polimorfismos de nucleotídeo único (SNPs) autossômicos de 130 animais, representando quatro grupos de raças de gado leiteiro de Nariño. Além disso, juntamos genótipos de 43.043 SNPs autossômicos, de 137 animais do banco de dados Decker (Decker et al., 2014) (DRYAD doi:10.5061/dryad.th092). Após o processo de controle de qualidade, o conjunto de dados misto ficou com 7.475 SNPs autossômicos compartilhados em ambos os bancos de dados de Nariño (127 amostras) e Decker (135 amostras). Os níveis de diversidade genética foram moderados em todas as raças (heterozigose média observada = 0,40). Com base nos valores do índice de fixação, concluímos que os indivíduos Brahman (zebuínos) foram mais diferenciados em comparação às raças taurinas (-0,374 a 0,076 para Pardo Suíço). Pares entre as raças taurinas apresentaram baixa diferenciação genética (0,011 ­ 0,479). O resultado dos componentes principais mostra que nos dois bancos de dados, Nariño e Decker, os taurinos formaram o cluster mais compacto em comparação com outras raças conhecidas por não compartilharem a mesma ancestralidade; indivíduos Jersey, Pardo Suíço e Normando denotaram alta similaridade com indivíduos Holandeses. A análise de agrupamento hierárquico com Admixture mostrou que Brahman, Jersey, Normando e Holandês da base de dados Decker, a maioria deles também agrupados com as raças leiteiras do alto trópico de Nariño, não são capazes de criar grupos diferentes, portanto, mostram maior semelhança entre eles. Isso pode ser explicado devido aos cruzamentos feitos pelos pecuaristas para aumentar o volume de produção de leite, sempre tendo como base a raça Holandesa com sêmen de touros da América e Canadá. Impactos prejudiciais, devido à seleção intensiva, podem fazer com que algumas características específicas da região sejam fixadas na prole e isso pode influenciar a sua capacidade adaptativa aos trópicos altos.

Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses in Trakya Region, Turkey - histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular detection

Background: Being the major cause of bovine abortion in the world, Neosporosis is considered to be a very important protozoal infection in dairy cattle. Vertical transplacental transmission is the major route of the infection causing either abortion or birth of calves with persistent infection. As the seropositivity in individual cows and in fetal serology only indicate exposure to the protozoa, the diagnosis of the infection has to be based on histopathology of aborted fetuses. Additional techniques such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) and PCR are required for the detection of the etiological agent. The purpose of the current study was to diagnose Neospora caninum infection in aborted bovine fetuses in Trakya Region of Turkey. For this purpose, serological, histopathological, IHC, and PCR methods were used. Materials, Methods & Results: The blood samples and the fetuses of 55 aborted dairy cattle from various farms located in 3 provinces of Trakya, Turkey constituted the material of the present study. The sera obtained from the blood samples were tested using a Neospora caninum Antibody Test Kit cELISA and anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in the sera of the dams of the 8 aborted fetuses (8/55; 14.54%). Following the necropsy, samples from the brain, heart, liver, lung, kidney, spleen, and placenta of 55 fetuses were routinely processed for histopathological examination and evaluated under a light microscope. Nonsuppurative encephalitis (15/55; 27.27%), necrosis (5/55; 9%) and gliosis (1/55; 1.8%) in the brain, mild to severe nonsuppurative myocarditis and epicarditis (14/55; 25.45%), and portal to mid-zonal nonsuppurative hepatitis (13/55; 23.63%) were the relevant findings. PCR analysis was performed on fresh frozen fetal tissues. Nested PCR detected N. caninum DNA in the brain, heart, liver, lung, and kidney tissues of 6 fetuses (6/55; 10.9%). IHC was performed on the brain, heart, and liver tissues of all the fetuses using avidin-biotin-complex peroxidase method. Immunoreactivity was observed in the brain of 1 fetus (1/55; 1.8%). Discussion: In the present study, histopathological, immunohistochemical and PCR analyses were performed to detect N. caninum in 55 spontenously aborted bovine fetuses in Trakya Region, Turkey. Histopathologic hallmark of the study was nonsuppurative inflammation found mostly in the brain, heart and liver followed by kidneys and lungs. No protozoa was observed in the microscopic examination supporting the fact that definitive diagnosis of N. caninum infection requires ancillary techniques such as IHC and PCR. Nested PCR detected N. caninum DNA in the tissues of 6 fetuses (6/55; 10.9%). Brain was the most reliable organ for detection by PCR (6/6; 100%), compatible with the previous reports. IHC diagnosis revealed only 1.8% positivity in the present study which was remarkably lower than found in the previous studies. Even though histopathology in conjunction with IHC are accepted as the "gold standard" methods to detect N. caninum infection in aborted bovine fetuses, there are studies claiming that IHC is relatively insensitive in the diagnosis of neosporosis as parasite numbers can be low and thus, false negative results can be obtained. Other factors affecting the sensitivity of the technique are thoroughly discussed by many authors. Supportively, the findings of the current study showed that using both IHC and PCR as complementary techniques, increases the success of detection of N. caninum as recommended in previous studies. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the first molecular diagnosis of Neospora caninum infection in bovine aborted fetuses in Trakya Region of Turkey which has a critical geographical location bordering Europe.

Helminth and ectoparasitic faunas of the Harris's hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), in Chile: new data on host-parasite associations for Neotropical raptors / Helmintos e ectoparasitas do gavião-asa-de-telha (Accipitriformes: Parabuteo unicinctus) no Chile: novas associações parasita-hospedeiro para os rapinantes neotropicais

Abstract Birds of prey harbor a wide spectrum of various parasites, mostly with a heteroxenous life cycle. However, most reports on their parasites come from Europe. Although the Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) is a widespread species in America, parasitological surveys on this hawk are mostly focused on coprological findings and ectoparasites, with poor attention paid to helminths. The aim of this study was to gather new and additional data on host-parasite associations for the Harris's hawk. Twenty-nine birds from central and southern Chile were necropsied. Further, nine birds from a rehabilitation center and 22 museum specimens were inspected for ectoparasites. Sixty-eight percent of birds hosted at least one parasite species. Four lice species, one mite species and eight helminth species (five nematodes, two platyhelminthes and one acanthocephalan) were recorded. Parasitic lice Colpocephalum nanum and Nosopon chanabense, and a nematode Cyathostoma (Hovorkonema) americana were recorded for the first time in raptors from the Neotropics. A feather mite, Pseudalloptinus sp., nematodes, Physaloptera alata and Microtetrameres sp., and a trematode Neodiplostomim travassosi, were recorded for the first time in Chile. The presence of diverse heteroxenous helminths reported here in the Harris's hawk could be explained by the generalist diet of this raptor.

Resumo As aves de rapina representam uma fonte importante de parasitas heteroxenos. Porém, a maioria dos relatos são da Europa. O gavião-asa-de-telha (Parabuteo unicinctus) é uma espécie amplamente distribuída no continente Americano, porém estudos parasitológicos nessas aves têm documentado achados coprológicos e ectoparasitas, com poucos relatos sobre endoparasitas como helmintos. Por essa razão, o objetivo deste estudo foi descrever novas associações parasita-hospedeiro para o gavião-asa-de-telha e rapinantes neotropicais. Vinte nove aves provenientes do centro e sul do Chile foram submetidas à necropsia. Por outro lado, nove aves de um centro de reabilitação e 22 espécimes de museu foram inspecionados em busca de ectoparasitas. Do total de aves, 68,3% foram identificadas como portadoras de pelo menos uma espécie de parasita. Quatro espécies de piolhos, um ácaro e oito helmintos (cinco nematoides, dois platelmintos e um acantocéfalo) foram registrados. Os piolhos Colpocephalum nanum, Nosopon chanabense e o nematóide Cyathostoma (Hovorkonema) americana são reportados pela primeira vez em rapinantes neotropicais. Colpocephalum nanum, N. chanabense, Pseudalloptinus sp., Physaloptera alata, Microtetrameres sp., C. (H.) americana e Neodiplostomim travassosi, são reportados pela primeira vez no Chile. A diversidade de helmintos heteróxenos, identificados neste trabalho, poderia ser explicada devido à dieta geralista do gavião-asa-de-telha.

Review of the Pachyprotasis flavipes group (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) from China with descriptions of two new species

ABSTRACT The flavipes group of Pachyprotasis Hartig, 1837, with twenty-four species recognized in China, is reviewed. This number includes two newly described species, Pachyprotasis rufodorsata sp. nov., from Sichuan, Hubei, Ningxia, and Shaanxi provinces, and Pachyprotasis nigritarsalia sp. nov., from Hunan province. The mesopleuron and metapleuron of the two new species are reddish-brown, distinguishing them from other similar species of the P. flavipes group. Thirty-four species of this group have been recorded from China, one species (P. variegate Fallén, 1808) was found to be widespread throughout Europe and Siberia, twenty-four were originally described from the China and Burma-Yunnan frontier, eleven from India, and five from Japan. A key to the species of this group from China is provided.

Review of the Pachyprotasis flavipes group (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) from China with descriptions of two new species

The flavipes group of Pachyprotasis Hartig, 1837, with twenty-four species recognized in China, is reviewed. This number includes two newly described species, Pachyprotasis rufodorsata sp. nov., from Sichuan, Hubei, Ningxia, and Shaanxi provinces, and Pachyprotasis nigritarsalia sp. nov., from Hunan province. The mesopleuron and metapleuron of the two new species are reddish-brown, distinguishing them from other similar species of the P. flavipes group. Thirty-four species of this group have been recorded from China, one species (P. variegate Fallén, 1808) was found to be widespread throughout Europe and Siberia, twenty-four were originally described from the China and Burma-Yunnan frontier, eleven from India, and five from Japan. A key to the species of this group from China is provided.(AU)

Conversion to organic farming: a dynamic opportunity for Pakistani smallholders of fresh fruit / Conversão para a agricultura orgânica: uma oportunidade dinâmica para pequenos produtores de frutas frescas do Paquistão

ABSTRACT: Exporting the organic fresh fruit (FF) to Europe and America could be regarded as great opportunity for smallholders and suppliers of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Yet, the global organic farmland and the number of organic producers are continued to grow. To date, little is known about the behavior of Pakistani farmers towards organic fresh fruit production. This study examined the factors that influence the decision-making of fresh fruit smallholders concerning the conversion to organic farming (COF). This study uses Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict the behavior of Pakistani smallholders of fresh fruit. Path analysis examined the utility of the extended version of the TPB model to anticipate 277 small-scale farmers' behavioral intentions towards the adoption of organic farming (AOF) and their prospect of converting their farm to organic produce within the next three years. The present study reported that the smallholders' attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), and farmer's group participation (FGP) were positively correlated with farmer's intention to adopt organic farming, while group participation of farmers has significant correlation with their behavior regarding production of organic fruits. The present study justifies using the model of farmers' group participation in policies that deliberately cheer up smallholders of fresh fruit to adopt organic farming, to raise farm incomes and to alleviate poverty.

RESUMO: Exportar a fruta fresca orgânica (FF) para a Europa e América pode ser considerada uma grande oportunidade para pequenos proprietários e fornecedores de Gilgit Baltistan, Paquistão. No entanto, as terras agrícolas orgânicas globais e o número de produtores orgânicos continuam a crescer. Até o momento, pouco se sabe sobre o comportamento dos agricultores paquistaneses em relação à produção de frutas frescas orgânicas. O objetivo deste estudo, portanto, foi examinar e determinar os fatores que influenciam a tomada de decisão dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas sobre a conversão para a agricultura orgânica (COF). Este estudo usa a teoria do comportamento planejado de Ajzen (TPB) para prever o comportamento dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas do Paquistão. A análise de caminho examinou a utilidade da versão estendida do modelo TPB para antecipar as intenções comportamentais de 277 agricultores de pequena escala em relação à adoção da agricultura orgânica (AOF) e sua perspectiva de converter sua fazenda em produtos orgânicos nos próximos três anos. O presente estudo descobriu que a atitude dos pequenos proprietários (ATT), as normas subjetivas (SN), o controle do comportamento percebido (PBC) e a participação do grupo de agricultores (FGP) foram positivamente correlacionadas com a intenção do agricultor de adotar a agricultura orgânica, enquanto a participação do grupo de agricultores correlação significativa com seu comportamento em relação à produção de frutas orgânicas. O presente estudo justifica o uso do modelo de participação de grupos de agricultores em políticas que encorajam deliberadamente os pequenos produtores de frutas frescas a adotar a agricultura orgânica, para aumentar a renda agrícola e diminuir a pobreza.

Donkeys in transition: changing use in a changing world / Jumentos em transição: alterações do seu uso num mundo em mudança

Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.(AU)

Os jumentos têm uma longa história no desenvolvimento das sociedades humanas. Normalmente referidos como bestas de carga, seus usos tradicionais incluem o transporte de pessoas e bens, atividades agrícolas e florestais, acesso a água, assim como oferecer uma forma de rendimento para comunidades em países de rendimento baixo e médio. No entanto, o aumento da mecanização, o desenvolvimento de técnicas agrícolas modernas e maior disponibilidade de veículos motorizados fizeram com que os jumentos e os muares se tornassem desnecessários nos seus papéis tradicionais em muitas partes do mundo. Neste artigo os autores fornecem exemplos onde os jumentos fizeram a transição, com sucesso, dos papéis tradicionais para novos papéis não tradicionais, tanto na Europa como na América do Norte; e demonstramos que, embora o papel e o uso de jumentos e muares estejam mudando num mundo em rápido desenvolvimento, podemos aprender lições com o passado e aplicá-las aos desafios atuais. À medida que diminui a necessidade de equídeos de trabalho no transporte e na agricultura, eles ainda têm grande valor no que toca a fins recreativos, terapêuticos e ecológicos no uso de tração animal.(AU)

Donkeys in transition: changing use in a changing world / Jumentos em transição: alterações do seu uso num mundo em mudança

Donkeys have a long history in the development of human societies. Typically referred to as a beast of burden, traditional uses for donkeys have included the transportation of goods and people, use in agricultural and forestry activities, to access water, and provide citizens in low- and middle-income countries a means of making an income for communities. However, the rise of mechanization, the development of modern farming techniques, and the increasing availability of motorized vehicles have led to donkeys and mules becoming redundant from traditional roles in many parts of the world. We provide examples of where donkeys have successfully transitioned from traditional roles to new, non-traditional roles in Europe and North America, and demonstrate that, although the roles and use of donkeys and mules are changing in a rapidly developing world, we can learn lessons from the past and apply them to current challenges. As the need for working equids declines in transport and agriculture, they still hold great value for recreational, therapeutic, and environmentally friendly methods of animal traction.(AU)

Os jumentos têm uma longa história no desenvolvimento das sociedades humanas. Normalmente referidos como bestas de carga, seus usos tradicionais incluem o transporte de pessoas e bens, atividades agrícolas e florestais, acesso a água, assim como oferecer uma forma de rendimento para comunidades em países de rendimento baixo e médio. No entanto, o aumento da mecanização, o desenvolvimento de técnicas agrícolas modernas e maior disponibilidade de veículos motorizados fizeram com que os jumentos e os muares se tornassem desnecessários nos seus papéis tradicionais em muitas partes do mundo. Neste artigo os autores fornecem exemplos onde os jumentos fizeram a transição, com sucesso, dos papéis tradicionais para novos papéis não tradicionais, tanto na Europa como na América do Norte; e demonstramos que, embora o papel e o uso de jumentos e muares estejam mudando num mundo em rápido desenvolvimento, podemos aprender lições com o passado e aplicá-las aos desafios atuais. À medida que diminui a necessidade de equídeos de trabalho no transporte e na agricultura, eles ainda têm grande valor no que toca a fins recreativos, terapêuticos e ecológicos no uso de tração animal.(AU)

Conversion to organic farming: a dynamic opportunity for Pakistani smallholders of fresh fruit / Conversão para a agricultura orgânica: uma oportunidade dinâmica para pequenos produtores de frutas frescas do Paquistão

Exporting the organic fresh fruit (FF) to Europe and America could be regarded as great opportunity for smallholders and suppliers of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Yet, the global organic farmland and the number of organic producers are continued to grow. To date, little is known about the behavior of Pakistani farmers towards organic fresh fruit production. This study examined the factors that influence the decision-making of fresh fruit smallholders concerning the conversion to organic farming (COF). This study uses Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict the behavior of Pakistani smallholders of fresh fruit. Path analysis examined the utility of the extended version of the TPB model to anticipate 277 small-scale farmers’ behavioral intentions towards the adoption of organic farming (AOF) and their prospect of converting their farm to organic produce within the next three years. The present study reported that the smallholders’ attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), and farmer’s group participation (FGP) were positively correlated with farmer’s intention to adopt organic farming, while group participation of farmers has significant correlation with their behavior regarding production of organic fruits. The present study justifies using the model of farmers’ group participation in policies that deliberately cheer up smallholders of fresh fruit to adopt organic farming, to raise farm incomes and to alleviate poverty.

Exportar a fruta fresca orgânica (FF) para a Europa e América pode ser considerada uma grande oportunidade para pequenos proprietários e fornecedores de Gilgit Baltistan, Paquistão. No entanto, as terras agrícolas orgânicas globais e o número de produtores orgânicos continuam a crescer. Até o momento, pouco se sabe sobre o comportamento dos agricultores paquistaneses em relação à produção de frutas frescas orgânicas. O objetivo deste estudo, portanto, foi examinar e determinar os fatores que influenciam a tomada de decisão dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas sobre a conversão para a agricultura orgânica (COF). Este estudo usa a teoria do comportamento planejado de Ajzen (TPB) para prever o comportamento dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas do Paquistão. A análise de caminho examinou a utilidade da versão estendida do modelo TPB para antecipar as intenções comportamentais de 277 agricultores de pequena escala em relação à adoção da agricultura orgânica (AOF) e sua perspectiva de converter sua fazenda em produtos orgânicos nos próximos três anos. O presente estudo descobriu que a atitude dos pequenos proprietários (ATT), as normas subjetivas (SN), o controle do comportamento percebido (PBC) e a participação do grupo de agricultores (FGP) foram positivamente correlacionadas com a intenção do agricultor de adotar a agricultura orgânica, enquanto a participação do grupo de agricultores correlação significativa com seu comportamento em relação à produção de frutas orgânicas. O presente estudo justifica o uso do modelo de participação de grupos de agricultores em políticas que encorajam deliberadamente os pequenos produtores de frutas frescas a adotar a agricultura orgânica, para aumentar a renda agrícola e diminuir a pobreza.

Changes in somatic cell count, composition and cytokine levels in milk from cows with mastitis due to mixed infections

Mastitis is a mammary gland inflammation that is very common worldwide, mostly caused by bacteria, and causes enormous economic losses. Many microorganisms cause this disease. The most common causes of mastitis by these microorganisms are Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae). The anti-inflammatory properties of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß include: 1) limiting interferon (IFN)-γ production; 2) increasing the expression of the interleukine (IL)-1 receptor antagonist; 3) inhibiting macrophage production of chemokines, pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and reactive oxygen intermediates; and 4) increasing macrophage clearance of bacterial debris and damaged parenchymal cells. It is stated that cytokines and milk composition change in case of mastitis. In this study, it was aimed to reveal the changes in milk TGF-ß1 and Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentrations and milk composition in mixed infections caused by three pathogens causing mastitis. In this study, milk samples from 90 cows were divided into 5 groups. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and TGF-ß1 concentrations and milk composition were determined in these milk samples. The California Mastitis Test (CMT) was applied to the cows included in the study and scoring was done. According to the CMT results of the milk samples taken, CMT(-) cows were included in group 1 (n = 22). Those with the CMT(+) were sent to the microbiology laboratory for analysis within 2 h. After the bacteria was determined, combination groupings were formed. Group 2 (n = 17), in which S. aureus and E. coli grew together, group 3 (n = 21), in which S. aureus and S. agalactiae grew together, group 4 (n = 8), in which S. agalactiae and E. coli grew together in milk samples, and milk samples without any bacterial growth in CMT (+) formed group 5 (n = 22), respectively. Somatic cell count was measured with the DeLaval Cell Counter® (Cell Counter DCC) device. Mineral matter, fat, protein, lactose, electrical conductivity and specific gravity were measured in milk samples using Lactoscan Milk Analyzer (Milkotronic/EUROPE). Milk samples were then stored at -80°C to measure TGF-ß1 and TNF-α. Tumor necrosis factor-α and TGF-ß1 concentrations in milk samples were measured using ELISA kits (Sunred Biological Technology). Changes in milk TNF-α and TGF-ß1 concentration and milk composition were determined in milk samples with mastitis caused by mixed infection. The TNF-α concentration of group 4 was higher than the other groups. On the other hand, the highest concentration of TGF-ß1 was found in group 2. While the number of somatic cells in group 1 was lower than in groups 2, 3, and 4, there was no statistical difference between groups 1 and 5. The lowest milk fat ratio was found in group 1, and it was found to be statistically lower than groups 2, 3, and 4. While the rate of solid-non-fat of group 1 increased compared to groups 2 and 3, the highest protein ratio was found in groups 1 and 5. There was no difference between the 5 groups in terms of mineral matter ratios. While the specific gravity was highest in group 1, there was no statistical difference between the other 4 groups. Overall, it was concluded that there was an increase in TNF-α and TGF-ß1 concentrations and a change in milk composition in samples with bacterial growth.(AU)