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These results together suggested that the polysorbate-60 could effectively emulsify the ethanol extract of TGP. Moreover, eTGP could be used as a vaccine adjuvant and an immunomodulator to improve the immune response of broilers.As the detection of horse state after exercise is constantly developing, a link between blood biomarkers and infrared thermography (IRT) was investigated using advanced image texture analysis. The aim of the study was to determine which combinations of RGB (red-green-blue), YUI (brightness-UV-components), YIQ (brightness-IQ-components), and HSB (hue-saturation-brightness) color models, components, and texture features are related to the blood biomarkers of exercise effect. Twelve Polish warmblood horses underwent standardized exercise tests for six consecutive days. Both thermal images and blood samples were collected before and after each test. All 144 obtained IRT images were analyzed independently for 12 color components in four color models using eight texture-feature approaches, including 88 features. The similarity between blood biomarker levels and texture features was determined using linear regression models. In the horses' thoracolumbar region, 12 texture features (nine in RGB, one in YIQ, and two in HSB) were related to blood biomarkers. Variance, sum of squares, and sum of variance in the RGB were highly repeatable between image processing protocols. The combination of two approaches of image texture (histogram statistics and gray-level co-occurrence matrix) and two color models (RGB, YIQ), should be considered in the application of digital image processing of equine IRT.Two large-bodied newt species, Triturus ivanbureschi and T. macedonicus, hybridize in nature across the Balkan Peninsula. Consequences of hybridization upon secondary contact of two species include species displacement and asymmetrical introgression of T. ivanbureschi mtDNA. We set an experimental reciprocal cross of parental species and obtained two genotypes of F1 hybrids (with T. ivanbureschi or T. macedonicus mtDNA). When hybrids attained sexual maturity, they were engaged in mutual crossings and backcrossing with parental species. We followed reproductive traits over two successive years. Our main aim was to explore the reproductive success of F1 females carrying different parental mtDNA. Additionally, we tested for differences in reproductive success within female genotypes depending on the crossing with various male genotypes (hybrids or parental species). Both female genotypes had similar oviposition periods, number of laid eggs and hatched larvae but different body and egg sizes. Overall reproductive success (percentage of egg-laying females and viability of embryos) was similar for both genotypes. The type of crossing led to some differences in reproductive success within female genotypes. The obtained results suggest that processes that led to exclusion of T. macedonicus mtDNA in natural populations may be related to the survival at postembryonic stages of F2 generation or reproductive barriers that emerged in subsequent hybrid generations.Regionally, the monitoring of paratuberculosis at the herd level is performed by the detection of specific antibodies in pooled milk samples by ELISA. The negative/positive cut-off S/P values applied for pooled milk samples are low and particularly vulnerable to variation in the test performance. In this study, a batch variation in the test performance of two ELISA tests was assessed to identify consequences for sample classification. A total of 72 pooled milk samples (50 from MAP-infected herds, 22 from one MAP-non-infected herd) were analyzed using three different batches, each of two different MAP antibody ELISA tests (A and B). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed, with the results of each batch, S/P values of the samples and optical density (OD) readings of the negative and positive control samples included in the kits being compared between the batches of one test. ROC analysis revealed a considerable variation in the test performance of the batches of the two individual tests, caused by differences in the S/P values of the samples and resulting in different sensitivities at a specificity of 100%. Major sources of variation originate from the manufacturing processes of test batches. These sources have to be better controlled, and the test performance has to be revisited regularly.In Africa, wildlife-watching experiences create substantial revenue from tourists that can finance wildlife conservation. Horseback safaris, where an experienced guide takes guests through the bush on horseback to observe plains game species, are a popular activity. Close encounters between ridden horses and game species are unnatural and potentially stressful situations, and horseback safaris may have adverse impacts on both the horses and the wildlife they have come to observe. This study aims to provide a preliminary insight into the behavioural responses of horses and herbivorous plains game species, including giraffe, zebra and impala, as a proxy measure of the potential welfare implications of horseback safaris. Seventeen group safari rides were observed encompassing 72 encounters with plains game species. Game species differed in their response to encounters with the horseback safari ride. Equine response behaviour appeared to be influenced by the species of game encountered. Horses seemed more wary of giraffe than other species, with a higher percentage of horses showing stationary and retreat behaviour at the start of giraffe encounters. They were also most likely to shy at giraffe. The behavioural responses suggest that game encounters can elicit a stress response in both animal groups, although it is not usually extreme, potentially indicating that some degree of habituation has occurred. Selleckchem RMC-4630 Balancing the welfare of both the horses and the plains game species along with tourist preferences may be challenging in this context.The Swedish equine sector is considered a high-risk work environment, with relatively high injury rates and high severity of injuries. General safety research has identified a correlation between the safety performance and safety culture, but little is known about the intricacies of the safety culture in the Swedish equine sector, especially concerning managers' and employees' perceptions of their work environment. The safety climate assessment is recognised as an effective tool for identifying potential problems in the workplace, thus enhancing safety behaviour and decreasing the frequency and severity of injuries. The aim was to evaluate the safety climate at riding schools and trotting stables through the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) diagnostic tool, and to get a better understanding of the workers' perceptions regarding safety and safety management at their workplace through complementary interviews. The results showed that the safety climate was generally positive and that employees were aware of the risks relating to their work. Riding schools commonly had routines in place for risk assessment and work environment management, but such routines were often lacking at trotting stables, indicating inadequate prioritisation of safety by the management. The main area that should be targeted to improve safety in the sector is employees' prioritisation and non-acceptance of risks. Proactive instead of reactive safety management should be promoted, where safety is an integral part of daily work and all employees are encouraged to identify factors contributing to occupational injuries and develop strategies for injury prevention.The somatic cell count in milk (SCC) and electrical conductivity of milk (ECM) are indicators of the health status of the mammary gland. Among somatic cells, mainly polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), macrophages (MAC), and lymphocytes (LYM) are rated. This study aimed to determine the SCC, PMN, MAC, LYM, ECM, and bacteriological index (BII) in milk collected from mares with (CM) and without (NCM) clinical symptoms of mastitis concerning mares with (SM) and without (NSM) subclinical mastitis. Milk samples were collected from 27 mares divided into NCM (n = 12) and CM (n = 15) groups. In samples, SCC quantification, cytological examinations, ECM measurement, and bacteriological examination were performed. In NCM mares, the values of SCC, PMN, MAC, LYM, and ECM were higher in initial than in consecutive examined days after birth until weaning. After weaning the proportion of SCC, PMN, MAC, LYM, ECM, and BII increased and did not differ with the average values in CM mares. These equine milk indicators may reflect an early symptom of subclinical mastitis and in the future may be used in the early detection of mastitis or as a tool of assessment of the health status of the mammary gland in the dairy equine farm.Prompt pain management is crucial in horses; however, tools to assess pain are limited. This study aimed to develop and pilot a composite scale for pain estimation in foals. The "Foal Composite Pain Scale" (FCPS) was developed based on literature and authors' expertise. The FCPS consisted of 11 facial expressions, 4 behavioural items, and 5 physical items. Thirty-five pain-free foals (Control Group) and 15 foals experiencing pain (Pain Group) were used. Foals were video-recorded at different time points the Control Group only at inclusion (C), while the Pain Group at inclusion (T1), after an analgesic treatment (T2), and at recovery (T3). Physical items were also recorded at the same time points. Videos were scored twice by five trained observers, blinded to group and time points, to calculate inter- and intra-observer reliability of each scale item. Fleiss' kappa values ranged from moderate to almost perfect for the majority of the items, while the intraclass correlation coefficient was excellent (ICC = 0.923). The consistency of FCPS was also excellent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.842). A cut-off ≥ 7 indicated the presence of pain. The Pain Group scores were significantly higher (p T3; p = 0.001). Overall, FCPS seems clinically applicable to quantify pain and improve the judgment of the quality of life in foals, but it needs modifications based on these preliminary findings. Consequently, further studies on a larger sample size are needed to test the feasibility and validity of the refined FCPS.Camera traps provide a feasible way for ecological researchers to observe wildlife, and they often produce millions of images of diverse species requiring classification. This classification can be automated via edge devices installed with convolutional neural networks, but networks may need to be customized per device because edge devices are highly heterogeneous and resource-limited. This can be addressed by a neural architecture search capable of automatically designing networks. However, search methods are usually developed based on benchmark datasets differing widely from camera trap images in many aspects including data distributions and aspect ratios. Therefore, we designed a novel search method conducted directly on camera trap images with lowered resolutions and maintained aspect ratios; the search is guided by a loss function whose hyper parameter is theoretically derived for finding lightweight networks. The search was applied to two datasets and led to lightweight networks tested on an edge device named NVIDIA Jetson X2.