Topical permethrin may increase blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) repellency but is associated with cutaneous irritation in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of repeated applications of permethrin concentrations (0% control, 1.5%, 5%, and 10%) to the necks and faces of horses and assess the efficacy and longevity of permethrin as an equine tick repellent. ANIMALS: 5 healthy adult Quarter Horses. PROCEDURES: Each treatment was applied to the neck of each horse (0.01 m2) 4 times a day, for up to 10 days. An 8-mm biopsy was taken to evaluate postexposure dermal responses. Any treatments that were not withdrawn were applied to a quadrant of the horse's face 4 times a day, for up to 5 days. For tick bioassays, a treatment was applied to 1 leg of a horse and 5 female blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) were evaluated as "repelled" or "not repelled" by the treatment. The bioassays were repeated up to 5 days, but treatment application took place only on the first day of the experiment. RESULTS: Histological results of neck biopsies indicated that more repeated exposures or higher concentrations resulted in more dermal damage. Tick bioassays showed that 5% and 10% permethrin had the greatest efficacy and longevity as a tick repellent, but the differences in tick repellency were not significant overall. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: While there was a nonsignificant trend of higher permethrin concentrations repelling more ticks with longer-lasting residual repellent effects, higher concentrations also produced greater skin damage after repeated exposures. These opposing findings emphasize the need for better tick prevention and control methods that balance safety and efficacy for the equine community.

Produção, caracterização e aplicação de carvão ativado de caroço de pêssego no tratamento de efluente têxtil / Production, characterization, and application of activated charcoal from peach kernel in textile effluent treatment

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar a produção de um carvão de caroço de pêssego e também avaliar a adsorção de corantes têxteis pelo carvão ativado de caroço de pêssego. A ativação do carvão foi realizada utilizando cloreto de zinco como agente oxidante. O carvão ativado foi então utilizado na adsorção de corantes, para posterior aplicação no tratamento de um efluente têxtil. Primeiramente, realizou-se a produção de carvão ativado com as temperaturas de 500, 700 e 900°C e tempo de carbonização de 10 15 e 20 minutos e verificou-se a remoção dos corantes preto reativo 5 e azul de metileno. De acordo com a metodologia de superfície de resposta, a melhor temperatura de produção apresentou-se acima de 700°C com tempo de exposição de 10 minutos para os dois corantes. Desse carvão ativado, avaliaram-se os dados de densidade, teor de umidade e cinzas, pH e rendimento. Também foram realizados ensaios cinéticos e de equilíbrio. Os dados foram ajustados a três modelos cinéticos. As medidas para determinação da eficiência na remoção de cor do efluente têxtil foram realizadas pelo método espectrofotométrico e demonstraram média de remoção superior a 62% da cor presente no efluente bruto. Desse modo, o caroço de pêssego demonstrou elevado potencial para a produção de carvão ativado visando o tratamento de efluentes contendo corantes, podendo servir como alternativa de baixo custo.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterize the production of activated charcoal from the peach kernel and assess the adsorption of textile dyes by this activated charcoal. The activation of the charcoal was performed using zinc chloride as the oxidizing agent. The activated charcoal was then used in the adsorption of dyes for later application in the treatment of a textile effluent. Firstly, the production of activated carbon was carried out at temperatures of 500, 700, and 900°C and carbonization time of 10, 15, and 20 minutes and the removal of the Reactive Black 5 and Methylene Blue dyes was verified. According to the methodology of response surface, the best production temperature was above 700°C with 10 min exposure for both dyes. From this activated carbon, data on density, moisture and ash content, pH, and yield were evaluated. Kinetic and equilibrium tests were also performed. The data were fitted to three kinetic models. The measures to determine the efficiency in the color removal of the textile effluent were carried out by the spectrophotometric method and demonstrated an average removal greater than 62% of the color present in the raw effluent. In this way, the peach kernel demonstrated a high potential for the production of activated carbon aiming at the treatment of effluents containing dyes and can serve as a low cost alternative.

Tobacco counteradvertisements aimed at bicultural Mexican American youth: the impact of language and theme.

The growing population of Mexican American youth and the increasing smoking rates in this population present a considerable public health challenge. Tobacco counteradvertisements have demonstrated their ability to shape attitudes, behavior, and public policy, but little is known about the most effective ways to adapt messages aimed at this audience. To explore key variables that can affect success, a study was conducted with 249 Mexican American middle-school youth from a U.S./Mexico border community to examine the effectiveness of language (English, Spanish, or a combination of English and Spanish) and theme (secondhand smoke, antitobacco social norms, and tobacco industry manipulation) in print tobacco counteradvertisements. Measures included ad preferences, acculturation, and tobacco-related attitudes and behavior. Results showed that although a large percentage identified with the Mexican American rather than the Anglo American culture and spoke Spanish in selected contexts, readability was greater for ads in English, and participants rated the English ads as most effective. The social norms counteradvertisement was preferred overall. Potential implications for health communication and policy are discussed.