Validation of a leg-mounted pedometer for the measurement of steps in lactating Holstein cows.

The aim of this study was to validate the pedometer AfiAct II (AfiMilk) for the measurement of steps in lactating Holstein cows housed in a freestall design by assessing its agreement with visual observation of step counts. A total of 41 primiparous (n = 12) and multiparous (n = 29) cows were enrolled in the study between August and September 2018. Steps were monitored continuously by the pedometer and visually assessed for a 24-h period using video recordings. Visually observed steps were categorized as walking and stationary steps. The total number of steps taken per cow was calculated using the sum of walking and stationary steps. Unprocessed step count data from the study day were retrieved from the AfiMilk system in time-blocks of approximately 15 min. Repeated measures correlation was used to quantify the association between the pedometer measurements and visual observation of step counts. Nonindependence among observations were accounted adjusting for interindividual (cow) variability with an analysis of covariance. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were categorized from negligible (0.00-0.30) to very high (0.90-1.00). Bland-Altman plots were created to evaluate the bias between the pedometer and visual observations. A total of 2,261 time-blocks were used in this study with an average (mean ± standard deviation) of 55.14 ± 8.1 time-blocks per cow. A high correlation was found for the evaluation between the pedometer and observed walking steps (r = 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.73-0.76), stationary steps (r = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.69-0.63), and total steps (r = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.87-0.89). The results of the Bland-Altman plot suggested limited bias between the pedometer step counts and visual observation of steps, independent of the type of steps. Numerical differences and several time-block differences outside of the 95% interval of agreement suggested an overestimation of step counts by the pedometer, which increased as the number of steps increased. The pedometer measured, on average, 97.6 ± 118.5 (28%), 249.2 ± 126.2 (125%), and 297.2 ± 205.4 (196%) steps/day more than the visual observed total steps, stationary steps, and walking steps, respectively. Our findings indicate that the pedometer counts all movement in which the pedometer leg is lifted off the floor without distinguishing if there was body movement of the animal.

Distribution patterns of Neotropical primates (Platyrrhini) based on Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity

A Análise de Parcimônia de Endemismo (PAE) é um método da biogeografia histórica que é usado para detectar e conectar áreas de endemismo. Baseando-se em dados de distribuição de primatas Neotropicais, construíram-se matrizes de dados utilizando-se quadrículas, regiões entre rios e áreas de endemismo pré-determinadas para aves como Unidades Geográficas Operacionais (OGUs). Codificou-se a ausência da espécie na OGU como 0 (zero) e a presença como 1 (um). Uma área hipotética com ausência total de espécies de primatas foi usada como grupo externo para polarização. Todas as três análises resultaram em grupos similares de áreas de endemismo, coincidindo com a distribuição de biomas na região Neotropical: uma área incluindo a América Central e o extremo Noroeste da América do Sul; outra, a Bacia Amazônica; e, uma terceira, a Mata Atlântica, Caatinga, Cerrado e Chaco.

Cloridrato de tiletamina associado com cloridrato de zolazepam na tranqüilizaçäo e anestesia de calitriquídeos (Mammalia, Primates) / Tiletamine hydrochloride in association with zolazepam hydrochloride for the tranquilization and anesthesia of callitrichids

Utilizou-se a associaçäo de cloridrato de tiletamina (125mg) e cloridrato de zolazepam (125mg) diluídos em água destilada (10ml) como tranqüilizante e anestésico em 38 animais pertencentes à espécies Saguinus imperator imperator (N= 21), Saguinus fuscicollis weddeli (N= 15) e Cebuella pygmea (N=2). Indivíduos de ambos os sexos, com pesos entre 130 e 520g, receberam doses de 0,02ml (1,11mg/kg) a 0,15ml (8,33mg/kg) pela via intramuscular. Na maioria dos casos ocorreu anestesia. Os animais foram libertados no mesmo dia da captura, após recuperaçäo pós-anestésia. Näo ocorreu efeito colateral aparente sobre os fetos de duas fêmeas gestantes. Apesar da morte de um animal jovem, os resultados foram considerados satisfatórios na tranqüilizaçäo e anestesia de calitriquídeos