Seroepidemiology of Neospora caninum among goats (Capra hircus) in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Although goat dairy farms in Brazil may have a higher risk of infection by Neospora caninum than beef farms, risk factor evaluation on a representative population remains to be fully established in Brazil. Accordingly, this study aimed to establish the occurrence of anti-N. caninum antibodies and factors associated with exposure in 406 blood samples from five dairy and three beef goat farms in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), with samples considered positive when reacting with dilution ≥ 1:50. A total of 106/406 goats (26.11%; 95% CI: 21.96-30.72%) were seroreactive comprising 2/61 (3.28%), 10/45 (22.22%), 13/50 (26.00%), 17/51 (33.33%) to 29/46 (63.04%) in dairy farms, and from 3/54 (5.56%), 12/50 (24.00%) to 20/49 (40.82%) on the beef farms. No significant associations were found in relation to age, gender, dairy versus beef farms, occurrence of abortions or mummified fetuses, and seroreactivity to N. caninum (P>0.05). In conclusion, goat farms in the state of Paraíba showed the highest occurrence of anti-N. caninum antibodies to date in Brazil

Seroepidemiology of Neospora caninum among goats (Capra hircus) in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil

<div><p>ABSTRACT Although goat dairy farms in Brazil may have a higher risk of infection by Neospora caninum than beef farms, risk factor evaluation on a representative population remains to be fully established in Brazil. Accordingly, this study aimed to establish the occurrence of anti-N. caninum antibodies and factors associated with exposure in 406 blood samples from five dairy and three beef goat farms in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), with samples considered positive when reacting with dilution ≥ 1:50. A total of 106/406 goats (26.11%; 95% CI: 21.96-30.72%) were seroreactive comprising 2/61 (3.28%), 10/45 (22.22%), 13/50 (26.00%), 17/51 (33.33%) to 29/46 (63.04%) in dairy farms, and from 3/54 (5.56%), 12/50 (24.00%) to 20/49 (40.82%) on the beef farms. No significant associations were found in relation to age, gender, dairy versus beef farms, occurrence of abortions or mummified fetuses, and seroreactivity to N. caninum (P>0.05). In conclusion, goat farms in the state of Paraíba showed the highest occurrence of anti-N. caninum antibodies to date in Brazil.</p></div

Electron collisions with phenol: a joint experimental and theoretical investigation

POSMOL 2015, 17-20 July 2015, Lisboa, Portugal; http://eventos.fct.unl.pt/posmol2015/It has long been recognized that lignocellulosic biomass is a potential sustainable source of mixed sugars for fermentation to biofuels. During the last decades many technologies have been developed that allow this conversion process to occur and, nowadays, the clear objective is to make the use of such technologies cost-effective. Recently, it has been found that free-electrons and radical species formed within atmospheric plasmas have the ability to overcome the natural resistance of plant cell walls thus allowing for an enhancement of microbial and enzymatic deconstruction [1]. In this context, low-energy electrons which are produced within the plasma environment have the potential to induce breakage of chemical bonds through dissociative electron attachment, electron-impact excitation and other fragmentation processes. In this work we report a joint experimental and theoretical effort in order to determine reliable elastic and electronically inelastic cross sections for low-energy electron collisions with phenol [2], a key structural subunit of lignin.Peer Reviewe