Humane Education in Brazil: Organisation, Challenges and Opportunities.

Humane education and the debate on alternatives to harmful animal use for training is a relatively recent issue in Brazil. While animal use in secondary education has been illegal since the late 1970s, animal use in higher science education is widespread. However, alternatives to animal experiments in research and testing have recently received attention from the Government, especially after the first legislation on animal experiments was passed, in 2008. This article proposes that higher science education should be based on a critical and humane approach. It outlines the recent establishment of the Brazilian Network for Humane Education (RedEH), as a result of the project, Mapping Animal Use for Undergraduate Education in Brazil, which was recognised by the 2014 Lush Prize. The network aims to create a platform to promote change in science education in Brazil, starting by quantitatively and qualitatively understanding animal use, developing new approaches adapted to the current needs in Brazil and Latin America, and communicating these initiatives nationally. This paper explores the trajectory of alternatives and replacement methods to harmful animal use in training and education, as well as the status of humane education in Brazil, from the point of view of educators and researchers engaged with the network.

Neourethra creation using autologous vascularized intestinal graft in cats.

The objective of this study was to assess the application of a urethrostomy technique that utilizes an autologous vascularized intestinal graft as a "neourethra" and to analyze its short- and long-term feasibilities. Six cats with urethral rupture and 8 cats with urethral stricture and a history of urethrostomy were included. The inclusion criteria were the indication for urethroplasty and limited urethral length for perineal urethrostomy. A segment of intestine was prepared as a graft for urethral repair. The diameter of the aboral end was adjusted to facilitate anastomosis with the urethra or neck of the urinary bladder. An ostomy was created in the prepubic region using the oral end. The postoperative follow-up period was at least 1 y. Restoration of urinary flow was successful in all cases immediately after surgery. During postoperative follow-up, minimal complications were observed, with urinary incontinence being one of the most frequent, occurring in 28.5% (4/14) of the cases. Urine culture, carried out at different times during the follow-up period, was positive in 72.7% (8/11) of the cats. The autologous graft from the vascularized intestinal segment was an appropriate urethral substitute and this urethroplasty technique therefore proved to be feasible in cats. The postoperative complications observed were not exclusive to this technique and generally could either be corrected or tolerated. Periodic clinical follow-up examinations are recommended. This procedure allows the reestablishment of urinary flow and should be considered a favorable option, particularly when there is insufficient urethral tissue to allow repair using conventional techniques.

L'objectif de cette étude était d'évaluer l'application d'une technique d'urétrostomie qui utilise une greffe intestinale vascularisée autologue comme « néo-urètre ¼ et d'analyser ses faisabilités à court et à long terme. Six chats avec rupture urétrale et huit chats avec rétrécissement urétral et antécédents d'urétrostomie ont été inclus. Les critères d'inclusion étaient l'indication d'urétroplastie et la longueur urétrale limitée pour l'urétrostomie périnéale. Un segment d'intestin a été préparé comme greffon pour la réparation urétrale. Le diamètre de l'extrémité aborale était ajusté pour faciliter l'anastomose avec l'urètre ou le col de la vessie. Une stomie a été créée dans la région prépubienne en utilisant l'extrémité orale. La période de suivi postopératoire était d'au moins 1 an. La restauration du flux urinaire a réussi dans tous les cas immédiatement après la chirurgie. Au cours du suivi postopératoire, des complications minimes ont été observées, l'incontinence urinaire étant l'une des plus fréquentes, survenant dans 28,5 % (4/14) des cas. La culture urinaire, réalisée à différents moments de la période de suivi, était positive chez 72,7 % (8/11) des chats. La greffe autologue du segment intestinal vascularisé était un substitut urétral approprié et cette technique d'urétroplastie s'est donc avérée réalisable chez le chat. Les complications postopératoires observées n'étaient pas exclusives à cette technique et pouvaient généralement être soit corrigées soit tolérées. Des examens de suivi clinique périodiques sont recommandés. Cette procédure permet le rétablissement du flux urinaire et doit être considérée comme une option favorable, en particulier lorsque le tissu urétral est insuffisant pour permettre une réparation à l'aide de techniques conventionnelles.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Clinicoepidemiological profile and risk factors associated with mortality in traumatized cats admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate possible risk factors for death in traumatized cats based on the clinicoepidemiological profile, the Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) scale score and the Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score at the time of presentation to the hospital. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving cats admitted to the emergency sector (ES) and the surgical clinic sector (SCS) of a veterinary teaching hospital (VTH) in northeastern Brazil over a 12-month period (2018-2019). Probable risk factors associated with non-survival after trauma were analyzed by calculating the prevalence ratio. The prediction of non-survival was evaluated by analyzing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve employing the ATT scale score, MGCS score and rectal temperature. RESULTS: In 1 year, 89 traumatized cats were admitted to the VTH, of which 90% (n = 80) were young, 54% (n = 48) were male, 79% (n = 70) were intact, 59% (n = 53) were indoor cats and 92% (n = 82) were considered as mixed breed. Blunt trauma was the most prevalent cause of injuries, reported in 76% (n = 68) of the cats. Accidents involving falls (30%; n = 27) that affected the pelvic limbs (50.6%) were the most commonly reported. The prevalence of death among cats admitted to the ES was 9.44 times higher than that of animals treated at the SCS. Trauma as result of being run over and chest trauma were associated with a higher probability of death. Most of the animals that died had a lower rectal temperature than those that survived. The ATT scale score, MGCS score and rectal temperature were predictive of mortality. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Rectal temperature, ATT scale score and MGCS score were effective predictors of an unfavorable prognosis and point to the need for emergency procedures. Hypothermia, being run over and chest trauma were associated with a higher risk of mortality. Our findings highlight the importance of prompt and effective care for these conditions.

Immunophenotypic features of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes from mammary carcinomas in female dogs associated with prognostic factors and survival rates.

BACKGROUND: The immune system plays an important role in the multifactorial biologic system during the development of neoplasias. However, the involvement of the inflammatory response in the promotion/control of malignant cells is still controversial, and the cell subsets and the mechanisms involved are poorly investigated. The goal of this study was to characterize the clinical-pathological status and the immunophenotyping profile of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their association with the animal survival rates in canine mammary carcinomas. METHODS: Fifty-one animals with mammary carcinomas, classified as carcinomas in mixed tumors-MC-BMT = 31 and carcinomas-MC = 20 were submitted to systematic clinical-pathological analysis (tumor size; presence of lymph node and pulmonary metastasis; clinical stage; histological grade; inflammatory distribution and intensity as well as the lymphocytic infiltrate intensity) and survival rates. Twenty-four animals (MC-BMT = 16 and MC = 8) were elected to the immunophenotypic study performed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Data analysis demonstrated that clinical stage II-IV and histological grade was I more frequent in MC-BMT as compared to MC. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the intensity of inflammation (moderate/intense) and the proportion of CD4+ (> or = 66.7%) or CD8+ T-cells (<33.3%) were not associated with worse survival rate. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only lymphocytic infiltrate intensity > or = 600 (P = 0.02) remained as independent prognostic factor. Despite the clinical manifestation, the lymphocytes represented the predominant cell type in the tumor infiltrate. The percentage of T-cells was higher in animals with MC-BMT without metastasis, while the percentage of B-lymphocytes was greater in animals with metastasized MC-BMT (P < 0.05). The relative percentage of CD4+ T-cells was significantly greater in metastasized tumors (both MC-BMT and MC), (P < 0.05) while the proportion of CD8+ T-cells was higher in MC-BMT without metastasis. Consequently, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly increased in both groups with metastasis. Regardless of the tumor type, the animals with high proportions of CD4+ and low CD8+ T-cells had decreased survival rates. CONCLUSION: The intensity of lymphocytic infiltrate and probably the relative abundance of the CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes may represent important survival prognostic biomarkers for canine mammary carcinomas.