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This review is aimed at summarizing the current state of knowledge about the relationship between environmental exposure to the bioaerosol emitted by intensive livestock farming and changes in the microbiome of people living in livestock farm vicinity. The PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched by crossing keywords from the following 3 groups: a) "livestock," "animal farms," "animal breeding"; b) "microbiome," "resistome"; c) "livestock vicinity," "farm vicinity," "neighborhoods and health" in 2010-2022. Literature screening did not reveal any paper related to the full microbiome composition in the population studied. In the study, the authors included 7 papers (5 from the Netherlands, 1 from the USA, and 1 from China). The studies confirmed the carriage of Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), livestockassociated MRSA (LA-MRSA MC398) and multidrug-resistant S. aureus (MDRSA) in the nasal microbiome of adults and children living within 500-2000 m from a livestock farm. Clostridium difficile, including LA-ribotype RT078 carriage, was detected in the intestinal microbiome of adults living within 500-1000 m. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae were confirmed in the intestinal microbiome of adults living within 500-6200 m. Knowledge on the composition of the microflora of people living in livestock farm vicinity is insufficient to conclude about changes in the microbiome caused by the environmental emission of bioaerosol. The carriage prevalence of the LA-bacteria, including both strains with antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial resistance genes, confirms the presence of zoonotic bacteria in the human microflora in populations without occupational contact with animals. It cannot be ruled out that zoonotic bacteria, as a component of the microbiome, have a negative impact on people's health. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(2):138-52. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectivesMethodResultsConclusionThis scoping review is designed to understand the role of pet ownership in the lives of people living in the community with dementia.A five-stage framework for conducting a scoping review guided the review. Two research questions framed the study. Nine databases were searched, with six papers meeting the criteria for detailed review.Pets can play a central role in the lives of people living with dementia. These relationships can be profound and can provide companionship and a sense of purpose. The activities associated with pet ownership and possible benefits for the person living with dementia have been explored to varying degrees and some benefits have been shown regarding the impact on physical and mental well-being. However, little is known about the challenges that may be faced when caring for a pet.Despite the importance of pet ownership, experiences of ownership documented among people living with dementia is limited. Still, the studies indicate how pet ownership can support people to remain socially engaged. Future studies should seek to gain a broader understanding of pet ownership across environments such as care homes and hospitals and in the context of social citizenship, active participation and living well. Creative research methods should be adopted to support the inclusion of people living with dementia in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modality is characterized by the important fact that it may be found within the grammar of all languages, which cannot be said of mood, for instance, another category of grammar. The present paper aims to identify deontic modal markers, specifically four English modal verbs, in George Orwell's Animal Farm, and analyze the grammatical / lexical instruments used for rendering them into five Romanian translated editions. The conclusions reveal that, although English seems easier in lexicalizing the meanings of modality, Romanian tends to be more explicative and thus, more comprehensive, due to its analytic character, which provides it with more variety in the choice of words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zootoxins are produced by venomous and poisonous species and are an important cause of poisoning in companion animals and livestock in Europe. Little information about the incidence of zootoxin poisoning is available in Europe, with only a few case reports and review papers being published. This review presents the most important zootoxins produced by European venomous and poisonous animal species responsible for poisoning episodes in companion animals and livestock. The main zootoxin-producing animal species, components of the toxins/venoms and their clinical effects are presented. The most common zootoxicoses involve terrestrial zootoxins excreted by the common toad, the fire salamander, the pine processionary caterpillar, and vipers. The lack of a centralized reporting/poison control system in Europe makes the evaluation of the epidemiology of zootoxin-induced poisonings extremely difficult. Even if there are many anecdotal reports in the veterinary community about the exposure of domestic animals to terrestrial and marine zootoxins, the number of published papers regarding these toxicoses is low. Climate change and its consequences regarding species distribution and human-mediated transportation are responsible for the emerging nature of some intoxications in which zootoxins are involved. Although new venomous or poisonous animal species have emerged in regions where they were previously unreported, zootoxins produced by native species remain the main concern in Europe. The diversity of poisonous and venomous animal species and the emerging nature of certain poisonings warrant the continuous update to such knowledge by veterinary professionals and animal owners. This review offers an overview about zootoxin-related poisonings in domestic animals in Europe and also provides important information from a health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Care ethics plays a significant role in the philosophical investigation of sustainable development. This paper is an attempt to comprehend the intricate relationship between care ethics and omnivorism, particularly in the context of economic sustainability, animal farming, and holistic well-being. Care ethics emphasizes empathy, relationships, and responsibility, basically applied to human interactions with other humans, animals, and the environment. Omnivorism denotes the consumption of both animal-based foods and plants. Inspecting all these concepts through the lens of economic sustainability involves considering the impact of consumption choices on agriculture, resources, and environmental costs. Self-care sustainability involves assessing personal choices regarding health, well-being, and the broader ecological system. By examining omnivorism and care ethics in the context of these two sustainability dimensions, this paper finally proposes to provide insights into the complex interplay between moral values, consumption habits, and the long-term well-being of individuals and the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pigs are exposed to various stressors, which can disrupt their internal balance and compromise their well-being. Stress can adversely affect animal performance, fertility, and immunity, leading to economic losses for farmers. Incorporating antioxidants in pig breeding can counteract those changes. This review presents studies investigating the impact of additional vitamin supplementation on stress reduction in pigs. It highlights the potential benefits of these dietary antioxidants in maintaining pig health. Good practices in farm animal care are crucial for upholding animal well-being, efficiency, and health. Pigs, like other farm animals, are exposed to various stressors, including environmental, nutritional, chemical, psychological, physiological, and metabolic stressors, which can disrupt their internal balance and compromise their well-being. Oxidative stress can adversely affect animal performance, fertility, and immunity, leading to economic losses for farmers. Dietary considerations are hugely important in attaining these objectives. This paper reviews studies investigating the impact of additional vitamin supplementation on stress reduction in pigs. Vitamin A can be beneficial in counteracting viral and parasitic threats. Vitamin B can be a potential solution for reproductive issues, but it might also be beneficial in reducing the effects of inappropriate nutrition. Vitamin C plays a vital role in reducing the effects of heat stress or exposure to toxins in pigs. Vitamin D proves to be beneficial in addressing stress induced mostly by infections and weaning, while vitamin E has been shown to mitigate the effects of toxins, heat stress, or transport stress. This review highlights the potential benefits of these dietary antioxidants in maintaining pig health, enhancing productivity, and counteracting the adverse effects of various stressors. Understanding the role of vitamins in pig nutrition and stress management is vital for optimising farm animal welfare and production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are derived from regions that are transcribed but do not code for proteins. Instead, they form covalent closed-loop structures and play a crucial role in many biological processes. This literature review focuses on the function of circRNAs in cattle, goats, and sheep, with a particular emphasis on their impact on economically significant traits such as milk production, meat quality, muscle development, wool production, etc. Additionally, the review explores the potential of circRNAs as biomarkers for the assessment of animal health and welfare. An enhanced understanding of circRNAs' roles can significantly improve the management of farm animals and the quality of products derived from them. This is increasingly relevant in a context where consumer concerns about animal welfare and sustainable farming practices are growing. The insights provided here pave the way for future studies, highlighting the importance of circRNAs in advancing livestock practices. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are unique noncoding RNA molecules, notable for their covalent closed-loop structures, which play a crucial role in regulating gene expression across a variety of biological processes. This review comprehensively synthesizes the existing knowledge of circRNAs in three key livestock species: Bos taurus (cattle), Ovis aries (sheep), and Capra hircus (goats). It focuses on their functional importance and emerging potential as biomarkers for disease detection, stress response, and overall physiological health. Specifically, it delves into the expression and functionality of circRNAs in these species, paying special attention to traits critical to livestock productivity such as milk production, meat quality, muscle development, wool production, immune responses, etc. We also address the current challenges faced in circRNA research, including the need for standardized methodologies and broader studies. By providing insights into the molecular mechanisms regulated by circRNAs, this review underscores their scientific and economic relevance in the livestock industry. The potential of circRNAs to improve animal health management and the quality of animal-derived products aligns with growing consumer concerns for animal welfare and sustainability. Thus, this paper aims to guide future research directions while supporting the development of innovative strategies in livestock management and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To perform a qualitative evaluation of the analgesic effects of magnesium in domestic animals, including its anaesthetic sparing effects. All database searches were made using PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies published after 1990, evaluating the use of magnesium and reporting information on analgesia, in dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats and sheep were selected (last search in August 2023). A reference check in the selected papers was performed to identify any study which was omitted. The CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach was used to assess confidence and analyse the evidence. A total of 20 studies relevant to the analgesic effects of magnesium in veterinary patients and two reviews were included. All were published after 2006. Of the 20, five studies provided information about analgesia in the postoperative period in dogs with heterogenous results. Magnesium added epidurally increased the duration of the sensory block in several species. Motor block was also observed when added to spinal analgesia. Results regarding volatile agents sparing effect were conflicting. Occasional moderate adverse effects were reported in dogs, such as nausea and vomiting, when administered as a bolus in conscious animals, and hypotension when administered intraperitoneally. Collapse was reported in horses after epidural administration. The evidence of an analgesic effect of magnesium in veterinary patients remains scarce considering the paucity and low quality of published data. Further research may be helpful to establish the efficacy and indications of magnesium in multimodal analgesia in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper looks at past relationships between humans and certain wild animal species, that is, raptors, bears, beavers, and elks. As we have observed, it was the behaviour of animals that caught the attention of humans, such as spectacular flights and hunting by raptors, the similarities in bear and human behaviour, the fascinating impressiveness and charisma of elks, and the landscape-shaping by enigmatic beavers. All these animals have special meanings to humans far beyond their economic significance. Wild goshawks, falcons, and other raptor species have acted as trained hunting companions, but they were never domesticated and had to be treated with care. As for bear, beaver, and elk, there were often complex rituals before, during, and after the killing, because there was no clear separation between humans and animals. The animals were not just prey but equal beings and other-than-human persons. However, there were also changes over time in the human–animal relationship, such as the advent of the farming way of life with a preference for domesticated animals, as well as the arrival of Christianity, by which animals became second to human. Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between 'animal' and 'human' is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous 'bear ceremonies' attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost 'disguised humans' due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clostridium perfringens (CP) is an emerging anaerobic pathogen that can aggravate severe fatal infections in different hosts and livestock. Aim: This paper was designed to monitor the antibacterial efficacy of Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) plant against different CP isolates of variant toxin genotypes comparing that with commercial antibiotics in the veterinary field. Methods: A total of 200 examined fecal, intestinal, and liver samples from cattle, sheep, and goat were investigated bacteriologically and biochemically for CP. Then, the isolates were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for toxin gene typing. Thereafter, the antimicrobial susceptibility testing as well as the antibacterial efficacy of M. oleifera were evaluated and statistically analyzed against recovered isolates. Results: The prevalence rate of CP was 51% (102/200); of which 54.5% was from cattle, 50% from sheep, and 40% from goat. Moreover, all CP isolates were highly resistant to tetracycline and lincomycin drugs; meanwhile, they were of the least resistance against ciprofloxacin (8.3%–16.7%), cefotaxime (16.7%–25%), and gentamycin (26.7%– 33.3%). For M. oleifera, high antibacterial efficacy with greater inhibition zones of the plant was recorded with its oil (20–24 mm) and ethanolic extracts (16–20 mm) against CP than the aqueous extract (≤ 10 mm). A good correlation was stated between M. oleifera oil and toxin type of CP isolates particularly type A followed by D and B types. Interestingly, the oil and ethanolic extracts of M. oleifera gave higher antibacterial efficacy than most commercial antibiotics against the recovered isolates. Conclusion: This study highlighted the potent antibacterial properties of M. oleifera for suppressing CP infections in farm animals. Hence, more investigations on M. oleifera are suggested to support its use as a medical herbal plant substituting antibiotics hazards and resistance problems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pastoral society, the reproduction of livestock is directly related to the survival and prosperity of herders. The key to domestic animal reproduction lies in the cognitive bond between mother livestock and their young. Herdsmen use various tools and techniques to help develop this cognitive bond. These human mediation tools have various characteristics such as 'restorative' or 'destructive'. The lamb bag, a widely used tool in pastoral society, has both 'restorative' and 'destructive' natures. Based on ethnographic data collected in Inner Mongolia, China, this paper first introduces the production method of lamb bags, then describes their structure, function and the multi-dimensional relationships generated during the application process, and finally discusses the cultural implications of 'restorative' and 'destructive' human mediation in pastoral culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the threat of feed-, food-, water-, and plant-related toxins to animal and human health worldwide. It highlights the diverse range of toxins, including bacterial toxins, algal toxins, mycotoxins, and phytotoxins, and their impact on animals. The article also mentions the emerging nature of many phytotoxins, attributing this trend to climate change and the global trade in decorative plants. The Special Issue presented in the article covers various research topics related to plant toxins and feed-associated toxicants, including their determination, epidemiology, degradation methods, clinical signs, and pathologic changes. The article concludes with a list of contributions that discuss specific studies on mycotoxins, pesticide residues, gossypol degradation, plant identification, toxin profiles, and hypoglycin A poisoning. The Special Issue also includes review papers on emerging plant intoxications, the toxicity of house plants, and the co-exposure to mycotoxins. The conflicts of interest are declared, and a list of contributions with their respective authors and publication details is provided. [Extracted from the article]

Morphological studies of farm animals are most often conducted using simple preparation and staining techniques. The study of the processes of embryogenesis, postembryonic features of the development of organs and tissues, as well as the effect of various substances remains to be elucidated not only using histochemical and immunohistochemical staining methods, but also using RNA in situ hybridization and transcriptome in situ sequencing. Aspects of many cellular and tissue processes for cattle, pigs and chickens in the context of comparative physiology have not yet been studied. The high productivity of farm animals is associated with the intensive functioning of all organs and systems of the body. The influence of the agricultural management of farm animals and its consequences on the development of an organism in ontogeny deserve a separate area of research from the point of in situ gene expression. Despite rapid development of transcriptome sequencing technologies, which result in the discovery of new candidate genes for many processes, RNA in situ hybridization remains the gold standard for their validation. This review briefly presents modern techniques and their modifications for studying in situ gene expression. Transcriptome studies that have been implemented in cattle, pigs and chickens as model organisms include: in situ RNA hybridization using ZZ‑probes, tyramide signal amplification, hybridization chain reaction, digoxigenin-labeled probes, RT‑PCR, single cell transcriptome sequencing, in situ transciptome sequencing. This paper is a review of the results of studies on cattle, pigs and chickens. The results of research in this area are relevant for understanding the features of adaptation mechanisms at the transcriptomic level in highly productive animals under industrial conditions in order to search for new markers of valuable agricultural traits. It should be noted that in literature there are very few studies using RNA in situ hybridization, despite the availability and simplicity of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to human health has prompted many countries to adopt national action plans to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU) in farm animals. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the factors driving AMU in farm animals. While previous research has focused on gaining a better understanding of AMU from the perspective of farmers and veterinarians, less emphasis has been placed on examining the systemic and contextual factors that influence AMU from multiple viewpoints within the food supply chain. To this end, this paper describes a participatory approach involving multiple stakeholders from two distinct livestock sectors to identify the underlying drivers of AMU and explore their case-specificity. For each sector, we identified causes of AMU during four online focus groups, by co-creating a "problem tree", which resulted in the identification of over 50 technical, economic, regulatory, and sociocultural causes per sector and exploration of causal links. Following this, we analysed the focus group discussion through a content analysis and clustered causes of AMU that were related into 17 categories (i.e. main drivers of AMU), that we then classified as drivers of AMU at sector level or drivers of AMU at farm level. Finally, we compared the two sectors by assessing whether the generated categories (i.e. main drivers for AMU) had been discussed for both sectors and, if so, whether they involved the same causes and had the same implications. Through our analysis, we gained a better understanding of several main drivers of AMU at sector level, that result from systemic and/or contextual causes. As these cannot always be addressed by farmers and/or their veterinarian, we suggest that interventions should also target other actors related to these causes or consider them to help implement certain strategies. Furthermore, based on the results of our comparative analysis, we suggest that systemic structural differences, such as size and level of supply chain integration/fragmentation, may lead to differences in how animal health management is approached. This in turn may influence AMU's decision-making and the effectiveness of interventions, if they are generic and not tailored to the specificities of the sector. • We identified over 50 technical, economic, regulatory, and sociocultural causes of AMU per sector. • Linked causes were clustered into 17 categories (i.e. main drivers of AMU), most of which are sector- related. • These sector-related drivers involved various agricultural actors that could be targeted by interventions. • Structural characteristics of the supply chain appeared to influence decision related to AMU. • We suggest that interventions should be sector-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]