The creation of species-specific valid tools for pain assessment is essential to recognize pain and determine the requirement and efficacy of analgesic treatments. This study aimed to assess behaviour and investigate the validity and reliability of an acute pain scale in pigs undergoing orchiectomy. Forty-five pigs aged 38±3 days were castrated under local anaesthesia. Behaviour was video-recorded 30 minutes before and intermittently up to 24 hours after castration. Edited footage (before surgery, after surgery before and after rescue analgesia, and 24 hours postoperatively) was analysed twice (one month apart) by one observer who was present during video-recording (in-person researcher) and three blinded observers. Statistical analysis was performed using R software and differences were considered significant when p<0.05. Intra and inter-observer agreement, based on intra-class correlation coefficient, was good or very good between most observers (>0.60), except between observers 1 and 3 (moderate agreement 0.57). The scale was unidimensional according to principal component analysis. The scale showed acceptable item-total Spearman correlation, excellent predictive and concurrent criterion validity (Spearman correlation � 0.85 between the proposed scale versus visual analogue, numerical rating, and simple descriptive scales), internal consistency (Cronbach's α coefficient >0.80 for all items), responsiveness (the pain scores of all items of the scale increased after castration and decreased after intervention analgesia according to Friedman test), and specificity (> 95%). Sensitivity was good or excellent for most of the items. The optimal cut-off point for rescue analgesia was � 6 of 18. Discriminatory ability was excellent for all observers according to the area under the curve (>0.95). The proposed scale is a reliable and valid instrument and may be used

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The technique proved easy to perform, safe, and effective.

Recent works have shown the important role Nonlinear Electrodynamics (NLED) can have in two crucial questions of Cosmology, concerning particular moments of its evolution for very large and for low-curvature regimes, that is for very condensed phase and at the present period of acceleration. We present here a toy model of a complete cosmological scenario in which the main factor responsible for the geometry is a nonlinear magnetic field which produces a FRW homogeneous and isotropic geometry. In this scenario we distinguish four distinct phases: a bouncing period, a radiation era, an acceleration era and a re-bouncing. It has already been shown that in NLED a strong magnetic field can overcome the inevitability of a singular region typical of linear Maxwell theory; on the other extreme situation, that is for very weak magnetic field it can accelerate the expansion. The present model goes one step further: after the acceleration phase the universe re-bounces and enter in a collapse era. This behavior is a manifestation of the invariance under the dual map of the scale factor a(t) → 1/a(t), a consequence of the corresponding inverse symmetry of the electromagnetic field (F → 1/F, where F ≡ F µν Fµν ) of the NLED theory presented here. Such sequence collapsebouncing-expansion-acceleration-re-bouncing-collapse constitutes a basic unitary element for the structure of the universe that can be repeated indefinitely yielding what we call a Cyclic Magnetic Universe.

This study aimed to evidence the clinical and laboratorial signs of this disease to help characterize this illness in a natural way in the semiarid in the northeastern region. We evaluated 10 positive for Trypanosoma cruzi dogs, that were identiϐied by serological analysis of immunoϐluorescence assay (RIFI) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), direct microscopy and blood culture. The chagasic dogs underwent physical examination, electrocardiographic, radiographic, blood pressure, hematology (erythrocyte and leukocyte count) and biochemical exams (urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, PT, albumin, globulin, CK, CK-MB, and cTnl). The physical examination and the blood pressure were presented within the normal range, while in the electrocardiography the FC was observed as normal with a sinus rhythm, with the exception of one dog that presented a sinus tachycardia (168 bat/min). In the ECG of eight dogs there was increase of duration of P (47+6.5ms) suggestive to atrial enlargement, not conϐirmed in the radiography. A supraunlevelling was observed in the ST segment in one dog. In the hematological results, thrombocytopenia (187.4x10 3 +137.2x10 3 ) and anemia (5.0x10 6 +1.39x10 6 /ul) were noted. The mean hemoglobin (11 +2.7g/dL), hematocrit (34+10.5%) were below normal limits. The white series were within normal variation, with the exception of eosinophilia observed in three dogs. Individually, there were two dogs which registered leukocytosis, lymphocytosis and neutrophilia. In the biochemical evaluation there was hyperproteinemia PT=7.2 +0.9g/dL, hypoalbuminemia (2.2+0.4g/dL), hyperglobulinemia (5.1+1.0g/dL), increased of CK (196+171 U/L) and there was no alteration on ALT and AST enzymes. The CK-MB isoenzymes and cTnI did not change, except in three dogs. We conclude that dogs naturally infected in the northeastern semiarid present characteristics related to indeterminate chronic form (asymptomatic dogs) and that the identiϐication of the naturally infected dogs with no pathognomonic characteristics of the Chagas disease underscores the importance of this illness in the diagnostic process with the other proϐiles that show nonspeciϐic or not associated to cardiovascular disease.INDEX TERMS: Heart disease, parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, Chagas disease, diseases of dog, parasitology.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the process of bone regeneration in rabbits, using chitosan and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) independently and in combination. A total of 12 New Zealand rabbits of both sexes, with average weight of 3.0 ± 0.57 kg were used. Animals were randomly divided into two experimental time points, with six animals euthanized 45 days after surgery and six euthanized 90 days after surgery. We performed two osteotomies in each tibia. The left tibia was used for the chitosan (QUI) and control groups, and the right tibia was used for the β-TCP alone and in combination with chitosan (QUI+TCP) groups. Tomographic evaluation showed no statistically significant difference among groups; however radiopacity was higher in the treated groups. Comparative descriptive histological evaluation found that treatment groups stimulated a more pronounced tissue repair reaction and accelerated bone repair. Morphometric analysis showed that treatment groups presented statistically higher bone formation compared with the control group.

The main clinical, anatomopathological, and molecular aspects of the infection by Leishmania infantum are described in two cats with multicentric cutaneous, nodular, and ulcerated lesions. The animals were submitted to a clinical examination, followed by serological, molecular and parasitological exams, with culture and isolation of the parasite, and subsequent isoenzymatic characterization. The animals were euthanized and necropsied. Case 1 was an adult, female, mixed-bred stray cat. Case 2 was an adult, male, mixed-bred and domiciled cat. Both were positive for the presence of anti-L. infantum antibodies. In the cytology of the cutaneous nodules and lymph nodes, amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. could be visualized, free and in the interior of the macrophages. In the histopathology, the lesions were characterized by nodular granulomatous and/or ulcerative dermatitis, associated to amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. By means of the polymerase chain reaction, the sequence of the L. infantum kDNA minicircle was amplified. It is concluded that the infection by L. infantum occurs in cats in the State of Paraíba, Northeast region of Brazil and the need to understand the immunological profile of the visceral leishmaniasis in the feline population is highlighted with aimed at the control measures in public health.