Learning by doing: a participatory methodology for systematization of experiments with agroforestry systems, with an example of its application     

Helton Nonato de Souza  Irene Maria Cardoso  Eduardo de Sá Mendon?a  An?r Fiorini Carvalho  Gustavo Bediaga de Oliveira  Davi Feital Gjorup  Ver?nica Rocha Bonfim 《Agroforestry Systems》2012,85(2):247-262

Participatory research methods have helped scientists to understand how farmers experiment and to seek partnerships with farmers in developing technologies with enhanced relevance and adoption. This paper reports on the development of a participatory methodology to systematize long-term experimentation with agroforestry systems carried out in a hotspot of biodiversity by non-governmental organizations and local farmers. A methodological guide for systematization and techniques used for Participatory Rural Appraisal formed the basis of our work. We propose an analytical framework that recognizes systems of reflexive and learning interactions, in order to make the learned lessons explicit. At the process level, the main lessons and recommendations are as follows. It is important to establish partnerships to conduct innovative and complex experimentation with agroforest. Participatory systematization allows us to improve the methodological aspects of design, implementation and management of on-farm participatory experimentation. It also serves to synthesize the main findings and to extract lessons from agroforestry systems experiments. It fosters the technical improvement of agroforestry systems. It creates possibilities for reflection on agroforestry systems by farmers, extensionists and researchers, as well as their learning with respect to management of such systems. The findings are placed in the context of current theory on participatory experimentation in agriculture. Extractive and interactive approaches help to produce rich insights of mutual interest through collaboration by identifying local, regional and global convergences, complementarities, and conflicts of interest; which affect the advance of new eco-friendly technologies, to both improve the livelihoods and to reverse biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.  相似文献   

Seroprevalence and risk factors for Neospora caninum in sheep in the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil     

da Silva Andrade G  Bruhn FR  Rocha CM  Guimarães Ade S  Gouveia AM  Guimarães AM 《Veterinary parasitology》2012,188(1-2):168-171

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with infection due to Neospora caninum in serum samples from 488 sheep originating from 63 farms in 63 municipalities distributed across eight of the twelve mesoregions of the state Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. For detection of N. caninum the sheep serum samples were subjected to the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT ≥ 50). To identify the risk factors associated with infection due to N. caninum a questionnaire was filled out for each herd by interviewing, the individual responsible for the herd, demanding information on the general characteristics of the property. Sixty-four sheep sera (13.1%; 95% CI=10.3-16.4) presented IgG-specific anti-N. caninum antibodies with the following titers: 50 (49; 76.6%), 100 (7; 10.9%), 200 (4; 6.2%), 400 (3; 4.7%) and 800 (1; 1.6%). The prevalence of infected sheep per mesoregion ranged from 0 to 28.1%. Out of the 63 farms sampled, 31 (49.2%; 95% CI=36.4-62.1) presented at least one seropositive sheep. No significant association was found between the presence of anti-N. caninum antibodies and the risk factors evaluated on the farms, except for the mesoregion variable (p=0.004; OR=0.429; CI95%=0.182-1.008). These results indicate that there is a need for additional research to define the epidemiological importance of this parasite as a cause of reproductive problems in sheep herds in Minas Gerais.  相似文献   

Advances in diagnosis of protozoan diseases     

de Waal T 《Veterinary parasitology》2012,189(1):65-74

Microscopy still remains the gold standard procedure for the diagnosis of many protozoan infections in animals, but the specific identification requires skilled and experienced personnel. Immunoassays, detecting antibodies or specific protozoan antigens, have been developed but often lack sensitivity and specificity due to close relationship between many protozoa. Recent research has focussed almost exclusively on molecular based techniques for the identification and quantification of parasite DNA in samples. Opinion differ on most appropriate targets to use and there are very few diagnostic kits available making comparison between laboratories difficult. Future research needs to focus on robust, cheap field diagnostic assays.  相似文献   

First report of Lagochilascaris (Nematoda: Ascarididae) eggs in a public park in Southern Brazil     

de Moura MQ  Jeske S  Gallina T  Borsuk S  Berne ME  Villela MM 《Veterinary parasitology》2012,184(2-4):359-361

Public parks, especially in developing countries, are places where stray animals run free and may contaminate the environment with different species of parasites. In an evaluation of environmental sanitation of these sites, soil samples were collected monthly from public parks in the Pelotas city, Rio Grande do Sul State, Southern Brazil. Eggs of the nematode Lagochilascaris sp. were found in a public playground. This is the first report of identification of this nematode in Southern Brazil.  相似文献   

Clinical presentation,treatment and possible causes of persistent endometrial cups illustrated by two cases     

J. R. Crabtree  Y. Chang  A. M. de Mestre 《Equine Veterinary Education》2012,24(5):251-259

Persistent endometrial cups are relatively rare in the mare and the occurrence in 2 successive pregnancies, as described in this issue, is an intriguing finding. This article describes an additional 2 cases of endometrial cups persisting in excess of 12 months in mares that had experienced pregnancy loss. Both mares demonstrated irregular ovarian activity in the form of repeated formation of haemorrhagic anovulatory follicles. A definitive diagnosis was made by visualisation of cup tissue by hysteroscopy and demonstration of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in the mares' serum. Biopsy of endometrial cups was made under visual direction and the mares were treated by chemical curettage with kerosene. The clinical presentation, treatment and possible causes of persistent endometrial cups are reviewed and discussed.  相似文献   

Third International Havemeyer Workshop on Equine Herpesvirus type 1     

JH Kydd  J Slater  N Osterrieder  DP Lunn  DF Antczak  W Azab  U Balasuriya  C Barnett  M Brosnahan  C Cook  A Damiani  D Elton  A Frampton  J Gilkerson  L Goehring  D Horohov  L Maxwell  J Minke  P Morley  H Nauwynck  R Newton  G Perkins  N Pusterla  G Soboll-Hussey  J Traub-Dargatz  H Townsend  GR Van de Walle  B Wagner 《Equine veterinary journal》2012,44(5):513-517

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CA15.3, CEA and LDH in Dogs with Malignant Mammary Tumors     

L.C. Campos  G.E. Lavalle  A. Estrela‐Lima  J.C. Melgaço de Faria  J.E. Guimarães  Á.P. Dutra  E. Ferreira  L.P. de Sousa  É.M.L. Rabelo  A.F.D. Vieira da Costa  G.D. Cassali 《Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine》2012,26(6):1383-1388

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Fibrinolytic Activity in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Dogs with Different Neurological Disorders     

C. de la Fuente  L. Monreal  J. Cerón  J. Pastor  J. Viu  S. Añor 《Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine》2012,26(6):1365-1373

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Effects of limited concentrate feeding on growth and blood and serum variables, and on nutrient digestibility and gene expression of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes in dairy calves     

Lohakare JD  van de Sand H  Gerlach K  Hosseini A  Mielenz M  Sauerwein H  Pries M  Südekum KH 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2012,96(1):25-36

This study elucidated the effects of limited concentrate feeding on growth, nutrient digestibility, blood profile and gene expression of gluconeogenic enzymes in the liver of dairy calves. The study utilized 36 German Holstein dairy calves (5-7 days of age) divided into two groups of 18 calves each for 150 days. Control group calves received 2 kg/(calf × day) of concentrate, whereas calves in the restricted group received only 1 kg/(calf × day). Good quality forage (mixture of maize and grass silages) was available for ad libitum consumption to both groups. The intake of milk replacer before weaning, and of concentrate were recorded daily per calf; however, the consumption of forages was quantified as daily average of the group. Body weights (BW) were recorded at start and on days 35, 70, 112 and 150. Blood and serum samples and spot urinary and faecal samples were also collected at similar time points. On days 70 and 150, liver biopsies were collected from seven animals in each group. The BW was not different between the groups at all times. Total BW gain in the control group was 124 kg as opposed to 111 kg in restricted group that led to average BW gain of 827 g/day and 739 g/day in respective groups, and the differences were significant (p = 0.018). As planned, the control group had higher concentrate and lower forage intake than the restricted group. The blood haemoglobin, haematocrit and serum variables (glucose, total protein, albumin and urea) were within the normal range in both groups, but serum glucose was higher (p < 0.05) in control than in restricted group at 70 days. There was no difference between groups in organic matter (OM) digestibility which declined (p < 0.001) with increasing age in both groups. Microbial crude protein (MCP) synthesis estimated from urinary allantoin excretion increased (p < 0.001) in both groups with increasing age but was not different between groups. The mRNA expressions for the gluconeogenic enzymes, cytosolic and mitochondrial phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.32) and pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) measured by quantitative real-time PCR in liver biopsies showed no differences between groups. Overall, restricting concentrate moderately reduced the growth intensity without affecting the normal serum and blood indices, and MCP synthesis and OM digestibility showed no differences between groups, indicating that both concentrate feeding schemes can be successfully applied.  相似文献   

α‐6 Integrin Expression in Bovine Spermatogonial Cells Purified by Discontinuous Percoll Density Gradient     

FRO de Barros  RA Worst  GCP Saurin  CM Mendes  MEOA Assumpção  JA Visintin 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2012,47(6):887-890

The study of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) provides a model to better understand adult stem cell biology. Besides the biomedical potential to perform studies of infertility in many species, SSCs hold a promising application at animal transgenesis. Because stem cells are thought to be associated with basement membranes, expression of α‐6 integrin has been investigated as a marker of type A spermatogonial cells, which are considered SSCs because of their undifferentiated status and self‐renewal ability. In this manner, the aim of this study was to isolate type A SSCs from adult bulls by a two‐step enzymatic procedure followed by a discontinuous Percoll density gradient purification and verify the expression of α‐6 integrin by flow cytometry and real‐time RT‐PCR before and after Percoll purification. Spermatogonial cells were successfully obtained using the two‐step enzymatic digestion. An average of 1 × 10⁵ viable cells per gram of testis was isolated. However, the discontinuous Percoll did not purify isolated cells regarding α‐6 integrin expression. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated no differences in the α‐6 integrin expression between cell samples before and after Percoll purification (p = 0.5636). The same was observed in the real‐time PCR analysis (p > 0.05). In addition to α‐6 integrin, the expression of GFRa‐1 and PGP9.5, known bovine SSCs markers, was detected in all samples studied. Considering that Percoll can reduce cell viability, it is possible to conclude that Percoll density gradient is not suitable to purify bovine SSC, according to α‐6 integrin expression.  相似文献