A comparative study of production performance and animal health practices in organic and conventional dairy systems

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Animal models in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-an overview

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive airway obstruction resultant from an augmented inflammatory response of the respiratory tract to noxious particles and gases. Previous reports present a number of different hypotheses about the etiology and pathophysiology of COPD. The generating mechanisms of the disease are subject of much speculation, and a series of questions and controversies among experts still remain. In this context, several experimental models have been proposed in order to broaden the knowledge on the pathophysiological characteristics of the disease, as well as the search for new therapeutic approaches for acute or chronically injured lung tissue. This review aims to present the main experimental models of COPD, more specifically emphysema, as well as to describe the main characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, possibilities of application, and potential contribution of each of these models for the knowledge on the pathophysiological aspects and to test new treatment options for obstructive lung diseases.

Pathogens in animal meal and the use of Salmex (R) in the elimination of Clostridium perfringens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

O bem-estar animal: como avaliá-lo e promovê-lo

The traffic of wild animals can be identified as the main cause of finding captive animals in zoos and sorting centers in Brazil. The maintenance of these animals in captivity is usually justified by the prevention of total loss of individuals of that specie, if it becomes extinct in the wild, and also, the importance of these subjects in studies of basic biology of the species. Keeping animals in captivity environment brings the need to ensure the welfare of them. The high population density and limited space are some of the possible stressors that these individuals face in capivity. Even the low pressure feeding and food easily available could be stressors, since they change the budget activities typical of the specie, causing sedentary behavior and sometimes depression. The captive environment and activities related to it (handling, transport, social change and social isolation) could compromise the animal welfare. Reduction in life expectancy, impaired growth and reproduction, personal injury, illness, immunosuppression, exacerbated adrenal activity and abnormal behavior, are events often lonked to compromised welfare. Hence, assessment and promoter methods are used to provide the welfare to captive animals. The assessment can be made by hormonal and/or behavioral measures. Both are extremely important, and usually are used in combination, to provide more tangible results about the condition of the animal. The promotion of animal welfare can be accomplished through environmental enrichment, a technique which aims to provide a more complex and diverse environment, increasing the possibility of the animal express more natural behavior, or characteristic of the species. Thus, the objective of this dissertation is discuss the importance of animal welfare and the ways this can be evaluated and promoted... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Uma perspectiva fenomenológica para: o que é o animal no circo?

The relationship between humans and the world around is getting less symbiotic and harmonic, so as with the other animals we share the planet with, mostly about domination of plagues, domination for food, company, work or fun. This last both are responsible for the beginning of the Circus as we know, with the exhibition of wild animals and horses, and have been increased with clowns, acrobats, and jugglers, street artists, getting to be one unified show all around the world, which most of them don´t have animals. Following this tendency, the PL 7291/06 is on process on the plenary assembly to forbidden the animals inside Circus. In that matter, this work is a Phenomenological perspective of the phenomenon Circus’s animals sited beyond the animal rights activists perspective. The Ideographic and Nomotetic analysis of the activist’s speech realize that is no discordance between then. All the speeches agrees that the animal must be out of the circus, and most of them agrees about the cruelty involving the animal´s domination, about that ONGs should be the better destination for this animals, and they shows lack of knowledge about the Brazilian Circus, with or without animals, their traditions and characteristics, so as the lack of knowledge about de ecology and biology of the animals involved.

A Ética na Experimentação Animal

A experimentação em animais é a metodologia mais utilizada para se testar a ação de todo tipo de droga em um organismo e suas reações. Atualmente existe na ciência a preocupação com a ética para amenizar o sofrimento dos animais envolvidos. Com o advento de novas tecnologias, são propostas técnicas alternativas que se abstém da utilização destes. Mas que não são ainda largamente estudadas no Brasil. Portanto realizou-se uma breve revisão das relações ser - humano/natureza presentes historicamente na atividade científica. Foram respondidos questionários e entregues para a análise, no qual se teve o objetivo de averiguar a opinião em relação a esse assunto perante os experimentadores de um conceituado Centro de Pesquisas e verificar assim, a possibilidade da inserção de uma nova ética, a qual possa futuramente livrar todos os animais de qualquer sofrimento. Os pesquisadores apresentam de uma forma geral, uma pequena preocupação com a reflexão sobre a utilização de materiais alternativos, em contrapartida se mostram bastante preocupados com a utilização dos animais de forma ética, a fim de minimizarem o sofrimento causado

Escolha de pareamento com coespecíficos na tilápia-do-Nilo: efeito do tamanho do animal e do horário do dia

Considerando os conceitos de senciência e bem-estar animal, os testes de escolha e preferência são das alternativas interessantes para se discutir o bem-estar em peixes. Assim, avaliamos a escolha da tilápia-do-Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) em manter-se em isolamento ou próxima a coespecíficos não-familiares de diferentes tamanhos (menores, similares ou maiores que o peixe-foco). O tamanho foi estudado por ser um fator determinante da dominância. Admitindo que o grau de atenção dos indivíduos possa ter flutuação circadiana, testamos também se o período do dia (manhã e tarde) afeta essa escolha. A escolha foi determinada pela maior freqüência do animal junto ao respectivo estímulo. Nesse estudo vimos que a tilápia-do-Nilo apresenta dois perfis de escolha: “decididos”, onde os animais escolhem uma posição em número significativamente maior de vezes; e os “indecisos”, que escolhem igualmente no mínimo duas opções de estímulos. No período da manhã há maior proporção de animais “decididos” do que à tarde. Portanto, embora não tenhamos detectado uma nítida escolha por tamanho de coespecífico o período do dia influenciou o número de indivíduos em cada um dos perfis. Assim, concluímos que a tomada de decisão na tilápia-do-Nilo varia em função do período do dia

Nutrição e nutrição parenteral no animal hospitalizado

The beneficial effects derived from the nutritional support in human patients and experimental animal models include the improvement of immune function, repair of wounds, answer to the treatment, time of recovery and survival. In front of these benefits, we end up alienating the nutritional needs of hospitalized patients, especially those with clinical or surgical affections threatening. The objective of the nutritional support is to indicate the importancea and the proportions of energy and nutrients that the patient can use with the maximum effectiveness. The majority of hospitalized patients do not have voluntary food intake adequate to meet even the minimal nutritional needs. It is often perceived that lack of adequate food intake, will have serious impact on the patient’s clinical outcome. The nutritional assessment will help determine which route of feeding will be the safest, most effective and best tolerated by the patient. Diet choice is based on which of the patient’s problems can and should be addressed with nutrition and the feeding access available

Os segredos que a natureza encerra: uso de conceitos e modelos da física para investigar questões do mundo animal

Physics governs all working patterns of the universe and could not be otherwise in a biological environment. Living things depend directly on laws and physical models to compose their body structure, allow its survival in certain environments, communication between individuals and groups and also to establish a complex sensorial system that allows interaction with the environment that surrounds them. With the advancement of science and technology, new ideas are required, and thus, many researchers began to turn their attention to those systems found in nature, as these systems often present practical solutions and with maximum efficiency. This imitation of biological systems, applied in creating innovative technological resources, is called Biomimetics. To study the biological systems based on physical concepts is essential the creation of models. These allow the distinction of the effects of the issue really essential and may be ignored side effects that do not have an effective participation in the phenomenon being analyzed. In this Work Completion of course will be studied the phenomenon of countercurrent heat exchangers, present in various situations of nature, focusing on their participation in the legs of birds, also the balance of certain birds that are supported on one leg and possible inspiration of these phenomena in the fields of engineering. Also included are videos that allow better understanding of the studied subjects

Revista Bauru animal

The theme of this project is the animal world, focusing on Bauru. The magazine Bauru Animal was born from the lack of publications addressing the issue of animals under the focus of their rights in this county. The treatment we give to animals is an important ethical and moral issue that should be discussed by the press. In Bauru there is an animal protection movement, whether organized or independent people. And there are many problems about the animals. The intent of the magazine is to report the status of animals in the city, checking legislation and getting into the philosophical field: we have the right to treat animals as mere environmental and economic resource? For the preparation of the materials were performed several interviews, documented in audio files and performed with the authors' theoretical Cremilda Medina and José Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy. The animal issue is cross-cutting issue that involves all traditional media editorials and allows public bodies to discuss assignments, ethical, moral and legal, the role of the citizen in society and many other issues relevant to the media

Jejum no pré-abate de suínos: bem estar animal e qualidade da carne

In the pre-slaughter management of pigs there are stressors, which depending on the duration or severity, are able to alter the quality of meat. One of the factors considered critical to the welfare is the fasting period in the farm. This practice is fundamental and proven relevance in the production chain. Besides the effects on meat quality and welfare of pigs, fasting is among the main factors responsible for the incidence of skin lesions, can significantly influence the incidence of esophagogastric ulcers and is also important to avoid any contamination of carcasses by gastrointestinal contents. When fasting is done right, it has a positive impact on welfare, meat quality and conditions of welfare during the pre-slaughter management of pigs

Como os pesquisadores da UNESP-Botucatu concebem a ética na experimentação animal? Consciência ou obediência?: subtitulo

Atualmente existe um consenso de que os pesquisadores estão mais conscientes em relação ao trato com as cobaias e com o bem estar animal, ao mesmo tempo, sabe-se que os comitês de ética recentes estão intensificando a fiscalização dos laboratórios. Há também leis a respeito do trato com os animais utilizados para experimentação que conta com penas, como multas em dinheiro até a exoneração do cargo de cientista e pesquisador. Investigaram-se os pesquisadores, através de um questionário, se estão mais conscientes acerca do bem estar animal ou apenas se adéquam as diretrizes dos comitês de ética para que seu projeto seja aprovado. Além de notarmos diferenças significativas entre os pesquisadores anteriores e posteriores a Lei 11.794/08 que instituiu os comitês de ética. Tendo os mais novos uma sistematização maior no trato com as cobaias enquanto os antigos repensaram suas formas de pesquisa. Quanto ao bem estar animal, nota-se que apenas se adequaram às leis, e que caso as mesmas não houvessem sido criadas não fariam alterações em seus laboratórios

Fitase em dietas para frangos de corte - melhor desempenho e sustentabilidade para a produção animal

O presente trabalho de conclusão de curso é composto por uma revisão bibliográfica sobre a fitase e um relatório sobre o estágio supervisionado realizado na BRF S. A. em Rio Verde/GO. A busca por medidas de sustentabilidade, e a preocupação das indústrias e granjas avícolas com o meio ambiente ligadas ao fator econômico torna a utilização da fitase cada vez mais difundida entre a avicultura moderna. O uso da suplementação enzimática com fitase nas dietas dos frangos de corte diminui a necessidade de utilizar fontes inorgânicas de fósforo, reduzindo os custos com a produção das rações. A fitase também beneficia as aves com uma maior biodisponibilidade de macro e micronutrientes, por hidrolisar o ácido fítico. A utilização da fitase pode ser um adjuvante nas dietas para frangos de corte em diferentes fases de criação, melhorando índices zootécnicos e contribuindo para a redução da poluição ambiental por reduzir elementos como o fósforo e o nitrogênio das excretas das aves

Host responses induced by different animal models of periodontal disease: a literature review

Periodontitis is an infectious disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the periodontium, and it is mediated and modulated by the host immune system. In the presence of microorganisms or other antigens, immune cells (macrophages/monocytes, dendritic cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils), endothelial cells and fibroblasts secrete cytokines and trigger immune and inflammatory reactions. However, when synthesized at high levels, cytokines modify the pattern of cellular response, participating substantially in the development of chronic inflammatory pathologies, such as periodontal disease. Understanding the origin and progression of bone resorption is one of the primary goals of the field of periodontics, aiming to arrest the disease progression and to optimize future treatments. For this purpose, the development of experimental models is an important and necessary step before entering into clinical trials with new therapies. The purpose of this study is to characterize/evaluate the tissue changes induced by various models of experimental periodontitis through a literature review.

State of the art on animal embryonic chimeras

Embryonic chimerism is generally used in basic research and in vivo diagnosis of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESC), mostly using mice embryos, although there have been reports in the literature on using rat, rabbit, sheep, chicken, primate, bovine, goat and pig embryos. Several techniques can currently be used to produce chimeric embryos, including microinjection, co-culture with ESC, fusion and aggregation. Although microinjection is the most commonly used method in mice, the mere aggregation of embryos with ESC may result in viable chimeras and be as efficient as microinjection. In mice, this chimerism technique has been shown to have the advantage of aggregating embryos in different stages of development with different ploidy, in addition to using ESC in the tetraploid complementation assay. Compared to other techniques for producing chimeras, the aggregation technique is a cheaper, faster and easier methodology to be performed. Moreover, aggregation can be simplified by chemically removing the zona pellucida with pronase or acidic Tyrode’s solution and be enhanced by using the Well of the Well culture system in combination with adhesion molecules, such as phytohemagglutinin. The most commonly used stages for chimerism by aggregation are those that precede the full compaction of the morula. In these stages, embryos have low-tension adherent junctions at the tangential point between two blastomeres. During the embryonic development of mice, the inner cell mass differentiates into epiblast and hypoblast. These layers will originate the fetal tissues and a portion of the extraembryonic tissues (yolk sac, allantois and amnion), whereas the trophectoderm (TE) gives rise to the chorion. A functional TE is essential for the complex molecular communications that occur between the embryo and the uterus. Embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer, such as commercial cattle clones or endangered species, are subject to large fetal and neonatal losses. Hence embryo complementation with heterologous TE could be of assistance to decrease these losses and might as well assist development of high-value embryos in other approaches.