scholarly journals Effect of cage enrichment on the welfare of farmed foxes

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (05) ◽  
pp. 6242-2019
Author(s):  
STANISŁAW ŁAPIŃSKI ◽  
SYLWIA PAŁKA ◽  
DANUTA WROŃSKA ◽  
IWONA GUJA ◽  
ANDRZEJ ZOŃ ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to use behavioural and cortisol tests to determine whether cage enrichment (observation shelves, wooden sticks for gnawing) improves the welfare of farmed foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The paper discusses welfare criteria such as "expression of other behaviours", "good human–animal relationships" and "positive emotional state". The study covered 60 young foxes. After weaning, the animals were placed in standard cages, two individuals per cage. The foxes were divided into three groups. In the control group, no additional cage enrichment was provided. Group I was provided with observation shelves; group II was provided with wooden gnawing sticks. During the experiment the foxes underwent repeated tests: empathic test, feeding test and salivary cortisol test. The data obtained were analysed statistically (ANOVA, Tukey’s test, correlation), taking into account the following variables: the impact of cage enrichment, animal gender, temperament, and colour mutation. The study did not show conclusively that the use of cage enrichment affects animal temperament or the level of cortisol. However, in the group with gnawing sticks, the level of cortisol in the second measurement was significantly lower in comparison with other groups. This indicates that satisfying the need to gnaw objects reduces stress in foxes. The study showed a high correlation between the empathic and the feeding test, both of which are useful for testing the emotional state of foxes and the human–animal relationship.

Author(s):  
Krishna Mohan Kumar

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the dietary supplement of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) on semen quality and characteristics in rabbits. Methods Eighteen (n=18) breeding bucks of New Zealand white, of similar age group, were used for the study. Three feeding regimes, (i) 100% commercial rabbit pellets (CRP)-Group I (ii) 90% CRP + 10% fresh MOL on a dry matter (DM) basis – Group II and (iii) 80% CRP + 20% fresh MOL on a DM basis – Group III, were adopted and the trial continued for 21 days. After adaptation to the diet, semen was collected from each buck and subjected to evaluation using a computer-assisted semen analyser. Results In Group III, the sperm count, normal sperm morphology, and sperm motility increased (52.0%) in comparison with the control (Group I; 50.1%). The inclusion of 20% Moringa oliefera in the diet (Group III) caused a significant increase (P<0.05) in semen concentration (Control =136.2 M/mL; Group III=297.2 M/mL). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in sperm motility and semen volume among the groups. Conclusion The results suggest that supplementing commercial rabbit pellets with 20% fresh Moringa oliefera leaves on a DM basis can improve the quality and characteristics of semen in breeding bucks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-567
Author(s):  
Volodymyr K. Likhachov ◽  
Yanina V. Shymanska ◽  
Yulia S. Savelieva ◽  
Viktoriya L. Vashchenko ◽  
Ludmyla М. Dobrovolska

Introduction: During pregnancy in the body of a healthy woman there are physiological and psychological changes that contribute to the bearing a child and prepare the female for future labour and motherhood. In women who experience failure at the stage of fertilization or during pregnancy, as a result of prolonged negative emotional states, psycho-emotional stress develops. The aim of the research was to study the psycho-emotional state of women with infertility in history, whose pregnancy resulted from extracorporal fertilization (IVF), and to develop methods for reducing their anxiety. Materials and methods: At the first stage, the initial psycho-emotional state of 60 women in the second trimester, whose pregnancy resulted from IVF (Group I), was studied; the control group consisted of 20 healthy women with a physiological course of pregnancy (Group II). At the second stage, 10 art therapy exercises with a requestioning of pregnant women from Group I were conducted for improving their psycho-emotional state. Results: Women of Group I had a high level of both situational anxiety (SA) and the personal one (PA). The prevalent type of the psychological component of gestational dominant was anxiety and euphoric types (58.3%). In one third of women with burdened gynecological history examined mild or masked depression was diagnosed. 43 pregnant women from Group I used a method of psychocorrection – art therapy, which included colouring “antistress” pictures of perinatal topic, making flowers from paper and creating a collage of dreams. Conclusions: After the art therapy course, a high level of SA (from 46.5% to 7.0%) and OA (from 48.8% to 32.6%) decreased, the index of the optimal type of the psychological component of gestational dominant increased from 25.6% to 53.5%. The number of women without depression increased from 62.8% to 93%.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Baraa A. Rajab

The mastery of morphological structure and vocabulary acquisition are significantly associated. However, the association between the abilities of L2 learners to manipulate morphological elements and develop vocabulary size with native Arabic speakers needs to be assessed. This study assesses the impact of morphological knowledge on lexical acquisition and processing among English-speaking learners of Arabic. The study focused on gender (masculine/feminine) and the complete number system (singular/dual/plural) by native English speakers. The error rates and error patterns were analysed carefully to provide insight into the learner’s interlanguage grammar through the experiment. The experimental study design was used. The study sample included 40 of L2 Arabic speakers from Arabic language courses at major universities in Northern Virginia and Maryland. These were native English speakers with no exposure to Arabic before their enrolment in the university. The sample was divided into three groups (Group I, individual in the second year of Arabic program, Group II, individual in 3rd or 4th year of the program, and Group III control group, five native speakers of Arabic). Different tasks were presented to the groups, where PsychoPy software was used for task presentation. Audacity Version 2.0 was audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded by the experimenter. The production and comprehension test revealed that morphological problems are prevalent at the advanced proficiency level. It showed the role of animacy for the morphological variability and higher agreement accuracy for human targets. It concluded that morphological variability in L2 Arabic remains a persistent problem even at advanced levels of proficiency, extending to comprehension.


2008 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendrieke C. Hoftijzer ◽  
Karen A. Heemstra ◽  
Eleonora P. M. Corssmit ◽  
Agatha A. van der Klaauw ◽  
Johannes A. Romijn ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the impact of cured differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) on quality of life. Previous studies on quality of life in patients with DTC were hampered by small patient numbers or limited quality-of-life parameters or were uncontrolled. Design: This was a cross-sectional case-control study. Method: We assessed quality of life in 153 cured DTC patients with a median duration of cure of 6.34 yr (range 0.3–41.8) and studied the contribution of disease-specific, biochemical, and social variables, focusing on the degree of TSH suppression. Four validated health-related questionnaires were used (Short Form-36, Multidimensional Fatigue Index-20, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Somatoform Disorder Questionnaire), including multiple aspects of physical, psychological, and social functioning. Patients were compared with 113 controls selected by patients themselves (control group I) and 336 pooled age- and gender-matched controls from other Leiden quality-of-life studies (control group II). Results: Patients had significantly decreased quality of life in 11 of 16 subscales when compared with control group I. In comparison with control group II, decreased scores in 13 of 16 items were observed. An important independent predictor for quality of life was duration of cure. Quality-of-life parameters were not influenced by serum TSH levels both measured at the time of quality-of-life assessment and measured over time since initial therapy. Conclusions: Patients cured for DTC have impaired quality of life, independently of TSH level. Quality-of-life parameters were inversely affected by duration of cure and consequently may be restored after prolonged follow-up.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousseria Elsayed Yousef ◽  
Essam A. Abo El-Magd ◽  
Osama M. El-Asheer ◽  
Safaa Kotb

Background. Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) remains one of the most common childhood chronic infectious diseases worldwide, affecting diverse racial and cultural groups in both developing and industrialized countries.Aim of the Study. This study aimed to assess the impact of educational program on the management of children with CSOM.Subjects and Methods. An experimental study design was used. This study included 100 children of both sexes of 2 years and less of age with CSOM. Those children were divided into 3 groups: group I: it involved 50 children with CSOM (naive) who received the designed educational program; control group: it involved 50 children who were under the traditional treatment and failed to respond; group II: those children in the control group were given the educational program and followed up in the same way as group I and considered as group II.Tools of the Study. Tool I is a structured questionnaire interview sheet for mothers. It consists of four parts: (1) personal and sociodemographic characteristics of child and (2) data about risk factors of otitis media (3) assessment of maternal practice about care of children with suppurative otitis medi (4) diagnostic criteria for suppurative otitis media. Tool II is the educational program: an educational program was developed by the researchers based on the knowledge and practices needs. This study was carried out through a period of 9 months starting from September 2013 to May 2014. The educational program was implemented for mothers of children with CSOM in the form of 5 scheduled sessions at the time of diagnosis, after one week, 1, 3, and 6 months.Results. There were significant differences between children who received the educational program and control group regarding the response to treatment after one and 3 months. The percentages of complete cure increased progressively 32%, 60%, and 84% after 1, 3, and 6 months in group I while they were 24%, 44%, and 64% in group II, respectively. Cure (dry perforation) was 64%, 36%, and 12% among children of group I after 1, 3, and 6 months while it was 64%, 44%, and 24% in group II, respectively. The percentages of compliance to the educational program improved with time in both groups: 44%, 64%, and 80% in group I and 32%, 48%, and 56% in group II after 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. The percentages of cure were statistically significantly higher among children with complete compliance with the educational program in both groups in comparison to those with incomplete compliance (P= 0.000 for both).Conclusions. From this study we can conclude that the majority of children with CSOM had one or more risk factors for occurrence of the disease; the educational program is effective for management of CSOM (whether cure or complete cure); the higher the compliance of mothers with the program the higher the response rate; regular followup and explanation of the importance of the program played an important role in the compliance with the program.


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 1112-1116
Author(s):  
A Nishad ◽  
NS Sreesan ◽  
Joseph Joy ◽  
Lakshmi Lakshmanan ◽  
Joyce Thomas ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Aim The study aimed to assess the impact of mouthwashes on antibacterial activity of individuals with fixed orthodontic appliances. Materials and methods A total of 60 individuals were considered in the study. Sixty (20 each group) nonextraction class I individuals were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Group I: Experimental group [chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash], group II: Experimental group (neem mouthwash), group III: Control group (distilled water). All the clinical examinations were done at baseline and 30th day respectively, after the start of orthodontic treatment. The mean differences between the different experimental groups were calculated using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Results There was no statistical significance at baseline mean plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) scores, and Streptococcus mutans (SM) colony count between groups. The PI and GI scores among CHX and neem mouthwash groups (p = 0.002, p = 0.032 respectively) were significantly reduced after intervention and also the SM colonies count was reduced in CHX and neem mouthwash groups and there was significant difference between the groups. Conclusion As both mouthwashes showed significant effectiveness on antibacterial activity in individuals with fixed orthodontic appliances, neem mouthwash can be used as an alternative to CHX. Clinical significance It is better to have a sound knowledge regarding the use of mouthwash in long term as fixed orthodontics are associated with accumulation of SM, enamel demineralization, and an increased number of carious lesions, predominantly in sites adjacent to bracket. How to cite this article Nishad A, Sreesan NS, Joy J, Lakshmanan L, Thomas J, Anjali VA. Impact of Mouthwashes on Antibacterial Activity of Subjects with Fixed Orthodontic Appliances: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Contemp Dent Pract 2017;18(12):1112-1116.


Author(s):  
Etimad Alattar ◽  
Khitam Elwasife ◽  
Eqbal Radwan ◽  
Hadeer Abu Warda ◽  
Mohammed Abujami

During the recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in use of mobile phones which resulted in an increase of the exposure to electromagnetic radiations in our life. Human saliva is considered as a potential source of biomarkers to monitor changes that occur under pathological conditions. The main objective of the current experiment was to determine the effect of mobile phone radiation on general health, electrolytes and salivary function among Islamic University students who use mobile phones. A questionnaire was designed and applied to 167 healthy and 36 deaf female students to select cases whose meeting the inclusion criteria. A total of 103 students who met the inclusion criteria were included to investigate the influence of mobile phone radiations on their general health. For assessment of salivary parameters, a total of 55 students were chosen and classified into three groups. Group I was the control group, which included 17 deaf students who did not use the mobile phone at all. Group II was healthy students who have mobile phone for less than 5 years. Group III was healthy students who have mobile phone for 5 years or more. Descriptive data that included mean, standard deviation, and percentages was calculated for each group. Multiple group comparisons were made by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test for pairwise comparisons. Categorical data were analyzed by Chi square (&chi;2) test. For all the tests, a P value of 0.05 or less was considered for statistical significance. The results showed that the participants who use mobile phone had several problems in their health including dry mouth, bad odor from mouth, drooling of saliva, as well as ear and eye pain. The majority of the participants who use mobile phone complained of headache, anxiety, insomnia and forgetfulness as compared to deaf participants. Also, the study showed that there was no significant difference between salivary pH in all tested groups. Regarding to salivary flow rate, the differences were no significant in all tested groups. In addition, this study has also shown that there was significant difference between the salivary Na+ and K+ levels of the three groups. Salivary level of Na+ and K+ were significantly lower in mobile phone users when compared to non users of mobile phone.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Amal Amin El-Sheikh ◽  
Hanaa El-Sayed El-Sayad

Background: Flipped classroom has generated significant concern in nursing education in recent years, particularly in higher education. It can provide an innovative solution to the unmet challenges of traditional classroom. Using video helps students to learn content at their own pace and use their time in the classroom to attack difficult problems. Aim of the study: to study the impact of a flipped classroom on academic achievement and perception among first year nursing students.Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized. Setting: The study was conducted at Faculty of Nursing of Menoufia University. Subjects: A convenient sample of all first year undergraduate students (360) who were admitted to Faculty of Nursing and were included in fundamental of nursing course of the academic year 2017-2018 throughout second term. They were divided alternatively and randomly into two groups, 180 for each, group I: Exposed to the flipped classroom and group II: Exposed to the traditional lecture classroom. Tools: Three tools were used for data collection. Tool I: Structural interviewing questionnaire, tool II: student perception of flipped classroom and tool III: student achievement tool.Results: The results revealed that the study group achieved higher level of perception towards flipped classroom after the first aid unit and the majority of them (87.2%) did not have any prior experience of flipped classroom. 58.9% of the study group were strongly agree to appreciate learning with video and about two thirds of them (63.9%) strongly agree that it was easier and more effective to learn using flipped classroom. 65% of the study group were strongly agree that video made them learn more and about half of them (57.2%) strongly agree that video could replace traditional lectures completely. The means total score of students’ achievement were 22.22 ± 5.09 and 19.77 ± 5.50 among study and control group respectively.Conclusions: Students shared in the flipped classroom (study group) achieved higher level of perception. The study group had higher level of achievement scores than those in the control group.Recommendations: Similar studies should be carried out with a bigger sample in various courses and at various educational stages to generalize the findings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-79
Author(s):  
Balaji Ethiraj ◽  
Murugavel Kamatchi

Background and Study Aim. The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of maximal power training with and without plyometrics on speed endurance and upper body power of team handball players. Material and Methods. Sixty college level men team handball players were randomly selected from Coimbatore district as subjects. Their age ranged between 18 and 25 years. The selected subjects were divided into three equal groups consisting of twenty each. No attempt was made to equate the groups. Experimental group I (n = 20) underwent maximal power training with plyometrics (MPTWP), Experimental group II (n = 20) underwent maximal power training without plyometrics (MPTWOP) for a period of 12 weeks and group III (n = 20) acted as control group (CG), the subjects in control group were not engaged in any training programme other than their regular work. Data obtained were evaluated in SPSS package. Results. The F value revealed that the speed endurance and upper body power were significantly improved due to the influence of maximal power training with plyometrics. Conclusions. As a result, 12 weeks of maximal power training with plyometrics can be said to increase the speed endurance and upper body power of team handball players.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Sachin nil ◽  
Savita AM ◽  
Sunil S ◽  
Tejashwini MA ◽  
Archana Naik ◽  
...  

Background and aim: Development of chronic periodontitis (CP) is related to the presence of periopathogenic bacteria and several other conditions including stress. In the successful management of chronic periodontitis, early detection of psychological stress plays a crucial role. Salivary cortisol is found to be associated with stress, however not many published evidence exists suggesting the association of stress and salivary cortisol levels in chronic periodontitis. Hence, this study was carried out with the aim to assess salivary cortisol levels and neutrophil functions in chronic periodontitis patients with and without stress. Materials and methods: Cortisol levels were determined using ELISA method from saliva samples collected, analysis of neutrophil functions such as chemotaxis, phagocytosis and intracellular killing was done using nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) assay, and stress was assessed using Derogatis Stress Profile scale in 60 participants. Study participants were categorized into two groups based on their periodontal condition, Group I: Healthy control (n=30) and Group II: Chronic periodontitis (CP) (n=30) with a probing depth of ≥ 4mm and Clinical attachment loss (CAL) AL >1mm. Results: The difference in mean stress score of the chronic periodontitis group (0.52 ± 0.12) and healthy control group (0.46 ± 0.08) was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Salivary cortisol levels in the healthy (7.77 ± 5.48) and chronic periodontitis (8.77 ± 8.75) groups did not differ significantly. Neutrophil functions defects in the CP group (32.70 ± 12.15) and healthy group (20.33 ± 10.17) differed in a statistically significant manner. Conclusion: Statistically significant differences were observed in the stress levels, salivary cortisol levels and neutrophil functions between healthy and CP subjects with and without stress, thus demonstrating a possible link between CP and stress.


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