The evaluation of animal locomotor activity is a behavioral tool widely used to measure the mechanisms underlying a particular disease, disorder, or injury, as well as the effects of exposure to a xenobiotic. The elevated beam test is one of the most used tests in rodents to assess balance and motor coordination. Despite being inexpensive and utilizing a simple apparatus, the high beam test requires a long period of animal training and habituation. The development and characterization of an alternative test, namely the gait test, has the potential to circumvent the time and effort required for animal training, deeming it an effective, inexpensive, and fast method for the analysis of behaviors that are comparably assessed by the high beam test. Therefore, the present study focused on determining the effectiveness and feasibility of the gait test for assessing rodent locomotion and balance as a replacement for the elevated beam test. For this purpose, male rats were divided into three groups: one control group exposed to a saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) and two experimental groups exposed to a single dose of either 0.2 or 1.0 mg/kg of ivermectin intraperitoneally for induction of locomotor disturbance. The high beam and gait tests were performed 15 min and 24 h after drug administration. Results show that the experimental groups had difficulty performing the tasks of either test at both time points analyzed compared to the control groups. At the high beam, experimental animals had trouble maintaining balance and walking. At the gait test, experimental animals showed alterations in gait, which were quantitated by: (a) shortening of step length, (b) decrease of stride, (c) altered step symmetry, and (d) altered stride area. Such results are indicative of compensatory efforts and were comparable between both tests. Altogether, the data indicate that the gait test meets all requirements for assessing motor coordination in rodents. The gait test is therefore validated as a complement to the elevated beam test for the study and analysis of neurodegenerative impairment and other disorders involving neuromuscular disturbances.

In mammals, ivermectin acts as a GABAA receptor agonist and stimulates GABA release. Previous studies showed that ivermectin (IVM) reduces sexual performance, impairing the latency to the first mount and intromission. These parameters are usually considered motivational parameters of sexual behavior. However, IVM increases GABAergic activity leading to motor incoordination. Thus, it is reasonable to propose that IVM affects sexual performance via motor incoordination pathways. The present study analyzed ultrasonic vocalization in rats to verify whether IVM impairs sexual behavior via motivational mechanisms or motor impairment. Because sexual experience attenuates the impairment of motor performance, rats with sexual experience were also studied. Sexually naive and experienced rats were administered a therapeutic IVM dose and saline. The rats were exposed to receptive females, and the latency to the first mount was evaluated, followed by the 50-kHz USV test. IVM treatment in naïve rats increased the latency to first to mount relative to Saline naïve rats, while no differences were observed between saline and experienced rats. In naïve-IVM rats, a reduced frequency and total calls and increased mean time of calls occur relative to SAL-naïve rats. Experienced IVM rats did not show differences in the frequency, mean, and maximal calls close to Saline experienced rats. However, an increase in the total calls and the dominant frequency of calls were observed in IVM-experienced rats compared to Saline experienced rats. A negative and positive correlation occurred between the latency to the first mount and USVs in groups with and without ivermectin exposure. Hence, we propose that ivermectin increased the sexual motivation of rats exposed to a female in estrous based in USVs despite an increased latency to the first mount that occurred. The increased latency to the first mount resulted from motor incoordination, as previously observed and proposed by our group.

Ornithodoros mimon is an argasid tick species usually associated with bats and marsupials and occasionally parasitizes humans inside their homes. This paper reports a tick infestation in a residence in the municipality of Campinas, located in the interior of the state of São Paulo (SP). This report increases O. mimon occurrence in SP and corroborates its anthropophilic activity. Further studies are needed to clarify its role as a vector of pathogens. We highlighted the presence of O. mimon in an area with a large human population (Campinas) associated with synanthropic animals.

This study evaluated the protective efficacy of probiotics supplementation against cigarette smoke-induced lung emphysema, inflammation, and loss of cilia in mice. Probiotics are known to promote mucosal tolerance and mitigate respiratory injuries. Twenty-four adult mice were randomly divided into three groups: control (Ctr), cigarette smoke (CS), and cigarette smoke + probiotics (CS+P). Probiotics were given for 7 days before exposure to smoke in the CS+P group. Tissue samples of the trachea (goblet cell count and index, loss of cilia), lungs (airspace distention), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected and processed. The results showed a significant increase in acidic and neutral goblet cells in the CS group compared to the Ctr and CS+P groups (P < 0.05). Overall, goblet cell number and index were lower in the CS+P group (41.71 ± 5.76, 0.67 ± 0.073) than CS group (56.28 ± 5.34, 1.31 ± 0.28). Inflammatory cells and loss of cilia significantly decreased in mice fed probiotics before exposure to cigarette smoke (P < 0.05). Lung emphysema was also significantly reduced in the CS+P group compared to the CS group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of probiotics reduced lung emphysema, inflammatory cells, goblet cell index, and loss of cilia under conditions of cigarette smoke exposure in mice.

O objetivo deste estudo foi observar os efeitos da reposição de 17 β-estradiol na microbiota fecal de gatas castradas. Amostras individuais de fezes frescas foram colhidas e armazenadas a -80°C. Foi realizado o sequenciamento das regiões V3/V4 do gene 16S rRNA e a análise bioinformática. A razão Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes foi menor no grupo que recebeu reposição estrogênica em comparação ao grupo SHAM (P = 0,005). O índice de Jaccard (P = 0,123) e o índice de Yue & Clayton (P = 0,094) não revelaram diferenças na alfa e beta diversidade. A análise discriminatória linear de tamanho do efeito (LefSe) identificou Firmicutes e Megasphaera como biomarcadores para o grupo SHAM, e Burkholderiales, Betaproteobacteria, Sutterellaceae, Suterella, Proteobacteria, Proteobacteria não classificada e Collinsella para o grupo que recebeu reposição estrogênica.

One of the fishery products that decomposes very rapidly is shrimp. Utilizing natural preservatives, such as Averrhoa bilimbi L. juice, is one method for maintaining the quality of food ingredients. This study aims to determine the effect of adding A. bilimbi L. juice with different concentrations and soaking times on vannamei shrimp decay. In this study, an experimental laboratory was used to examine decay using the Postma and H2S tests. As much as 500 g of vannamei shrimp were divided into four treatment groups and two repetitions, with 5 g of each sample soaked in A. bilimbi L. juice with concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% for 0, 3, 6, and 9 hours. Early decay was observed at 0 and 3 hours after soaking vannamei shrimp in solutions with concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%. At concentrations of 5%, 7.5%, and 10%, there was no initial decay after soaking vannamei shrimp for six hours at a concentration of 0% and 2.5%. During 9 hours of soaking at concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, and 5%, initial decay occurred, whereas there was no initial decay at concentrations of 7.5% and 10%. The conclusion of this research is A. bilimbi L. juice with concentrations of 7.5% and 10% for 6 and 9 hours inhibits the decomposition of vannamei shrimp.

The impact of free radicals on testicular Leydig cells can result in the disruption of male reproductive health. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a high-fat diet on Leydig cells and the potential of kepok banana peel extract as a medication to mitigate these effects. In total of 20 adult male Wistar rats were assigned to five groups and treated with standard feed (P1), high-fat feed (P2), high-fat feed with simvastatin (P3), and high-fat feed with banana peel extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg BW (P4 and P5). After 60 days of treatment, the number of Leydig cells was determined using HE staining methods. Data were analyzed using an One Way ANOVA test. The results showed that the administration of 100 mg/kg BW of kepok banana peel extract (P4) was able to maintain the number of Leydig cells and counteract the negative effects of a high-fat diet. These findings suggest that kepok banana peel extract may have the potential as a herbal medicine for supporting male reproductive health.

This research aimed to determine the accuracy of the progesterone test kit for milk and blood as means of early pregnancy diagnosis in Ettawa cross goats (PE). Five lactating PE goats were used in this study and were synchronized with PGF2α intramuscularly. The result is that all goats showed a sigh of estrus. Four goats were mated naturally, while one other was not mated. The determination of day-0 was when the females were standing heat. Early pregnancy diagnosis using dairy cow test strips performed 18-22 days after mating or post-estrus. The accuracy of the diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasound examination on day 35 after mating/post estrus. Diagnosis using the milk progesterone kit showed negative results for five days of examination in all goats, whereas using the blood progesterone kit showed positive results in four goats. When confirmed, using ultrasound showed one goat was diagnosed as not pregnant, and four other goats were diagnosed pregnant. It can be concluded that the use of progesterone dairy cow pregnancy test strip kits is effectively used to diagnose early pregnancy in PE goats with high accuracy in blood samples (100%) and low accuracy in milk samples (20%).

It is widely known that Escherichia coli (E. coli) can infect the gastrointestinal tract of various animals and damage some tissue organs. Through histopathological examination of the gastric and duodenal organs can provide valuable information relating to how the E. coli infection impacts the animal. On February 6th, 2023, euthanasia and necropsy of a dog belonging to Mr. Kamo Agil were carried out, which is located at Jl. Meyjend Sungkono, Gresik. Anamnesa is known to be a male dog, age ±1.5 months, body weight 0.6 kg. One kennel is filled with 9 dogs, dirty cage, in the house is not unused, damp and close to the warehouse area and furniture office. The dog has never been vaccinated and has not been dewormed. Temporary diagnosis of dogs with colibacillosis. Examination of pathology is carried out macroscopically and microscopically. Microbiological examination with isolation of escherichia coli bacteria and eosin methylene blue agar media. Followed by Gram staining and biochemical tests. The results of anatomical pathology examination showed that the dog had gastroenteritis. The results of microbiological examination showed that isolated and identified escherichia coli from duodenal organs. Based on the results of examinations showed that the dog had gastroenteritis caused by caused by escherichia coli infection.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December, 2019 to May, 2020 with the aim of determining seroprevalence and identifying the potential risk factors of brucellosis in dairy cows with recent cases of abortion and their owners and farm workers in selected sites in the central highland of Oromia, Ethiopia. The overall seroprevalence of bovine and human brucellosis was 0.61% (95%CI: 0.016–2.09) and 1.21% (95%CI: 0.032–4.27) using combined RBPT and CFT tests, respectively. The late stage of abortion (OR = 14.74, p =0.0002), retained fetal membrane (OR = 32.74, p=0.006), market-based stock replacement (OR = 16.55, p=0.002), and presence of parturition pen (OR = 11.511, p=0.027) were found to be significantly associated with seropositivity for Brucella infection in dairy cattle. Human housing (OR = 1.8, p = 0.002), contact with aborted fetus (OR = 21.19, p = 0.017), and drinking raw milk from aborted (OR = 5.72, 0.019) and retained fetal membrane (OR = 4.22, p= 0.029) cows all had a significant influence on human brucellosis seropositivity. A structured interview question was administered to 284 respondents. Accordingly, most respondents had no knowledge of bovine brucellosis and their zoonotic effects (93.3%) in contrast most of them drink raw milk. Implementation of a test and slaughter strategy with compensation is recommended with this low prevalence. In the case of human brucellosis, implementing one health approach framework should be practiced.