ACE inhibition in goats under fixed‐time artificial insemination protocol increases the pregnancy rate and twin births

To assess the effect of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on the efficiency of the fixed‐time artificial insemination (TAI), 69 goats were divided randomly into two groups: enalapril (n = 35) and control (n = 34). In the experiment, all animals underwent the protocol of fixed‐time artificial insemination for 12 days. Enalapril group received enalapril maleate dissolved in saline (Enalapril, Lab Teuto Ltda) subcutaneously at the following doses: 0.2 mg/kg/day in D0‐D2; 0.3 mg/kg/day in D3‐D6 and 0.4 mg/kg/day in D7‐D11. The control group received the corresponding volume of 0.9% saline solution. We performed a single insemination 36 hr after sponge removal using frozen semen from two adult male goats with recognized fertility. The ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis was 30 days after the artificial insemination (AI). There was significant increase in pregnancy rates and twinning as well as a decrease in foetal loss in animals receiving enalapril (p < .01). The use of ACE inhibitors during the TAI protocol was shown to be a promising alternative to increase the efficiency of such reproductive biotechnology.     

Use of a Real Time PCR for detecting subspecies of Babesia canis

This paper reports the development and use of a Real Time PCR for detection of Babesia canis canis, B. canis rossi, and B. canis vogeli in endemic areas of Brazil. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of several organisms were aligned and five primers and four probes were designed for amplification of a fragment (around 125 bp) which differentiates subspecies of B. canis. Blood samples collected from dogs living in farms in three distinct rural regions within the State of Minas Gerais (Lavras, Belo Horizonte and Nanuque) were tested. Blood samples had been collected during a dry season (Lavras, n=100; Belo Horizonte, n=50; Nanuque, n=102); the dogs were re-sampled in the subsequent rainy season (Lavras, n=71; Belo Horizonte, n=29; Nanuque, n=66). From each sample, DNA was extracted and Giemsa stained smears were microscopically examined for direct detection of Babesia parasites. B. canis vogeli was the only subspecies found, with an overall prevalence of 9.9% during the dry season and 10.8% during the rainy season. Dogs living in Nanuque and Belo Horizonte showed significantly higher prevalence rates than those living in Lavras (13.7%, 12.0% and 5.0%, respectively). The Real Time PCR developed proved to be appropriate to detect B. canis subspecies in endemic areas.     

Effects of Chloroformic Extracts from Washed and Unwashed Papaya Seeds (Carica papaya) on the Sperm Concentration of Dogs

Papaya seeds (Carica papaya Linn) have been found to have a significant effect on sperm characteristics in some mammals, including humans, but no studies have investigated the effects on dogs. In the present study, a significant decrease in sperm concentration was observed in a group of dogs treated with extracts from washed papaya seeds, but no decrease was observed in the group of dogs treated with non‐washed seeds. An important effect of extract components from washed seeds such as fatty acids is probably involved in the reduction of sperm production because of Sertoli cell damage, as has been suggested for langur monkeys. Dilution of the active components in the non‐washed papaya seeds or interference with some of the components may reduce the expected effect on spermatogenesis. This first report on the effects of a chloroformic extract of papaya seeds in dogs suggests that an increased dose is necessary to achieve azoospermia.     

Prevention of intestinal parasites in a tri‐border area of Latin America: Children perceptions and an integral health education strategy

To investigate knowledge of school‐aged children and their perception on intestinal parasites, and to assess knowledge reconstruction on prevention practices after specific training in the subject. We performed an activity package that included the analysis of children's drawings of intestinal parasites, and information and communication technologies (ITCs) to transfer knowledge about these pathogens and prevention measures. Retrieval learning activities were performed to fixation of general and specific prevention and control measures.Overall, we found that there is a knowledge gap in many aspects of parasite biology and ecology, and therefore on the risk of infection and acquisition mechanisms. After ITCs, the children improved their knowledge over non‐trained children.The approaches used to transfer knowledge and for learning, fixation were valuable tools for incorporating changes in misconceptions and in the deep‐rooted habits that favour entero‐parasitic diseases. This has important implications for the specific design of future education materials and campaigns. Understanding of perceptions helps to provide justifications and knowledge to achieve changes in unhealthy habits, and it constitutes the basis for the transformation of many risky practices.     

Physiological and biochemical changes of females of Piracanjuba,subjected to induced reproduction

The aim of this experiment was to compare the level of fish female stress during induced reproduction with pituitary extract by two different methods, natural and semiextruded. The reproductive efficiency was 62.5% in the seminatural treatment and 100% in the extruded. Obtained egg volume was 5200 ml and 4000 ml, for seminatural and extruded treatments respectively. The mean number of eggs was 46.7 for the seminatural and 52.0 and for the extruded treatment. The percentage of viable eggs was, respectively, 87.2% and 8.17% for the natural treatment and extruded semimethods. Blood samples were collected to quantify cortisol and glucose levels, as well as red cell series and lymphocyte count. Fishes submitted to induction procedures showed elevated cortisol and glucose levels, compared to the control animals. The results for haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count showed no significant differences among groups. Significant differences found in the number of lymphocytes and monocytes suggest the general adaptation syndrome. Our results suggest the reproductive induction process with extrusion of gametes as a more stressful method than seminatural reproduction process.     

Effects of dietary Tenebrio molitor meal inclusion in free‐range chickens

Insects are currently being considered as a novel protein source for animal feeds, because they contain a large amount of protein. The larvae of Tenebrio molitor (TM) have been shown to be an acceptable protein source for broiler chickens in terms of growth performance, but till now, no data on histological or intestinal morphometric features have been reported. This study has had the aim of evaluating the effects of dietary TM inclusion on the performance, welfare, intestinal morphology and histological features of free‐range chickens. A total of 140 medium‐growing hybrid female chickens were free‐range reared and randomly allotted to two dietary treatments: (i) a control group and (ii) a TM group, in which TM meal was included at 75 g/kg. Each group consisted of five pens as replicates, with 14 chicks per pen. Growth performance, haematological and serum parameters and welfare indicators were evaluated, and the animals were slaughtered at the age of 97 days. Two birds per pen (10 birds/treatment) were submitted to histological (liver, spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius, kidney, heart, glandular stomach and gut) and morphometric (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) investigations. The inclusion of TM did not affect the growth performance, haematological or serum parameters. The morphometric and histological features were not significantly affected either, thus suggesting no influence on nutrient metabolization, performance or animal health. Glandular stomach alterations (chronic flogosis with epithelial squamous metaplasia) were considered paraphysiological in relation to free‐range farming. The observed chronic intestinal flogosis, with concomitant activation of the lymphoid tissue, was probably due to previous parasitic infections, which are very frequently detected in free‐range chickens. In conclusion, the findings of this study show that yellow mealworm inclusion does not affect the welfare, productive performances or morphological features of free‐range chickens, thus confirming that TM can be used safely in poultry diets.     

Genotypic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep from Brazilian slaughterhouses: new atypical genotypes and the clonal type II strain identified

Toxoplasma gondii strains are genetically diverse in South America. To date, hundreds of T. gondii isolates from different animal hosts were genotyped in Brazil, most of them are different from those identified around the world. This study aimed to determine T. gondii infection rate in sheep from Brazilian slaughterhouses, as well as the genotype of these isolates. T. gondii antibodies were detected in 66/602 (10.96%) serum samples through modified agglutination test (MAT) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). MAT-HS and IFAT-IgG presented high concordance (0.95) and strong correlation (r=0.79). T. gondii DNA was detected in tissue samples of 33% (22/66) serum positive sheep by PCR of the 529 bp repetitive element. In the bioassay in mice, T. gondii were detected in mice brain or muscle tissues in 30% (20/66) of serum positive sheep. Positive samples were typed through Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP-PCR) using 11 markers: SAG1, SAG2 (5'-3'SAG2 and alt.SAG2), SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, L358, c22-8, c29-6, PK1, Apico and CS3. Of 22 samples, 13 were positive and 9 genotypes were identified. Four of these 9 genotypes are unique. Nine samples had negative results in RFLP-PCR typing, which may be due to low DNA concentration. Six isolates were virulent killing mice between 12 and 25 days postinfection. Two non-virulent isolates belonged to clonal type II genotype, which were not observed in Brazil previously. These findings confirm the high diversity and high frequency of virulent genotypes among Brazilian animals. This study also proved the presence of type II T. gondii in Brazil.     

Determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity in equine blood: lack of agreement between methods of analysis

Angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) is a key regulator of blood pressure, electrolytes and fluid homeostasis through conversion of angiotensin I into angiotensin II. Recently, a genetic polymorphism of the ACE gene, which accounts for 47% of the variation of ACE activity in blood, has been advocated as a biomarker of athletic aptitude. Different methods of analysis and determination of ACE activity in plasma have been used in human and equine research without a consensus of a "gold standard" method. Different methods have often been used interchangeably or cited as being comparable in the existing literature; however, the actual agreement between assays has not been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the level of agreement between three different assays using equine plasma obtained from 29 horses. Two spectrophotometric assays using Furylacryloyl-phenylalanyl-glycyl-glycine as substrate and one fluorimetric assay utilizing o-aminobenzoic acid-FRK-(Dnp)P-OH were employed. The results revealed that the measurements from the different assays were not in agreement, indicating that the methods should not be used interchangeably for measurement of equine ACE activity. Rather, a single method of analysis should be adopted to achieve comparable results and critical appraisal of the literature is needed when attempting to compare results obtained from different assays.