Search

Ethical questions normally arise in sport because its participants are human moral agents and because its practice community entails the observance of rules and responsibilities that humans generally owe one another in a social practice of voluntary competition. Since nature sports are not defined by this kind of inter-agential activity, it would appear that there are no comparable ethical constraints on their pursuit. This paper considers conflicts of preference versus right between humans, how these are resolved, and whether these rights are relevant in assessment of nature sport activity vis-à-vis nonhuman creatures. Relying on a goods perspective instead of a rights framework, via Korsgaard, I argue against an assumption that human preference is sufficient to override consideration of nonhuman animals' functional goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to a widespread view, people often anthropomorphize machines such as certain robots and computer and AI systems by erroneously attributing mental states to them. On this view, people almost irresistibly believe, even if only subconsciously, that machines with certain human-like features really have phenomenal or subjective experiences like sadness, happiness, desire, pain, joy, and distress, even though they lack such feelings. This paper questions this view by critiquing common arguments used to support it and by suggesting an alternative explanation. Even if people’s behavior and language regarding human-like machines suggests they believe those machines really have mental states, it is possible that they do not believe that at all. The paper also briefly discusses potential implications of regarding such anthropomorphism as a popular myth. The exercise illuminates the difficult concept of anthropomorphism, helping to clarify possible human relations with or toward machines that increasingly resemble humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philosophical theorizing on democracy typically assumes away the existence of nonhuman animals – even though animals are systematically affected by democratic decisions in morally relevant ways. This paper inspects under which circumstances, if at all, this omission can be justified. First, I distinguish between two possible explanations of this neglect: (i) that animals are neglected by democratic theorists due to speciesist biases, according to a debunking account, or (ii) that animals are deliberately idealized away, on a reconstructive approach. Largely, this paper is devoted to assessing when assuming away animals can function as a theoretically productive or practically helpful idealization when theorizing about democracy. In particular, I identify three different aims that may be served by idealizing animals away in democratic theory: (i) to understand what makes democracy valuable, legitimate, or authoritative, (ii) to assess how the pitfalls of really existing democracies might be fixed and (iii) to isolate what robust agents owe each other in democratic societies. I then argue that, whereas the third goal might be usefully advanced by idealizing animals away, the first two goals can only be suitably tackled if we take into account how democracies affect animals’ interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neoplatonic notion of "emanation" implies a required progression through hierarchical stages, originating from the highest principle (the One or God) and cascading down through a series of principles. While this process is deemed necessary, it is also inherently good, even "choiceworthy", aligning with the identification of the first principle with the Good. Plotinus, a prominent Neoplatonist, emphasizes the beauty and goodness of the sensible world, governed by divine providence. This perspective, transmitted through Arabic adaptations of Plotinus, influences Islamic philosophers too. This paper delves into the thought of the Ismāʿīlī philosopher Abū Yaʿqūb al-Sijistānī (d. after. 349/971), exploring the interplay of necessity and goodness in his cosmology, with a focus on non-human animals. Sijistānī's Persian Uncovering the Veiled provides a unique perspective on animals, presenting them as both necessary unfoldings of the universal intellect and inherently good beings with intrinsic value. The paper concludes with an appendix featuring an improved edition and English translation of relevant passages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Developing sustainable livestock management requires knowledge and monitoring of which habitats within an enclosure the livestock prefers to stay in and in what way they utilise the available habitats. The technology of virtual fencing provides the ability to both monitor and adapt enclosures, thus adding value to the expense related to fencing for farmers and livestock managers. To this end, the possibilities this new technology offers need to be explored and methods developed. In this paper, we explore the monitoring capabilities of virtual fencing technology on a herd of cattle in a coastal dune landscape. We explore to what extent a herd of cattle prefers some habitats over others, and in what way they utilise each of the available habitats. We find clear differences in the amount of time the herd spends in each habitat and in the ways they utilise each habitat. The herd spend a disproportionately large amount of time in salt meadow, and likely spend most of their time there resting and ruminating. We conclude that the method for monitoring of cattle applied in this study, using existing virtual fencing technology, is a relatively precise method useful in year-round monitoring, with room for improvement. There has been an increased focus on new technologies to monitor habitat use and behaviour of cattle to develop a more sustainable livestock grazing system without compromising animal welfare. One of the currently used methods for monitoring cattle behaviour is tri-axial accelerometer data from systems such as virtual fencing technology or bespoke monitoring technology. Collection and transmission of high-frequency accelerometer and GNSS data is a major energy cost, and quickly drains the battery in contemporary virtual fencing systems, making it unsuitable for long-term monitoring. In this paper, we explore the possibility of determining habitat preference and habitat utilisation patterns in cattle using low-frequency activity and location data. We achieve this by (1) calculating habitat selection ratios, (2) determining daily activity patterns, and (3) based on those, inferring grazing and resting sites in a group of cattle wearing virtual fencing collars in a coastal setting with grey, wooded, and decalcified dunes, humid dune slacks, and salt meadows. We found that GNSS data, and a measure of activity, combined with accurate mapping of habitats can be an effective tool in assessing habitat preference. The animals preferred salt meadows over the other habitats, with wooded dunes and humid dune slacks being the least preferred. We were able to identify daily patterns in activity. By comparing general trends in activity levels to the existing literature, and using a Gaussian mixture model, it was possible to infer resting and grazing behaviour in the different habitats. According to our inference of behaviour the herd predominantly used the salt meadows for resting and ruminating. The approach used in this study allowed us to use GNSS location data and activity data and combine it with accurate habitat mapping to assess habitat preference and habitat utilisation patterns, which can be an important tool for guiding management decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between outdoor sports and the age of empire on the American frontier using the lens of gender performance. Focused on the years from the mid to the late nineteenth century, it provides an exploration of hunting as a vector of imperial masculine journey and a physical and imaginative pursuit where hunters stalked and shot the iconic animals of the western states on behalf of settler colonialism. In the first part of the paper, contemporary testimonies are used to plot the ways in which hunting desires to own the animal body fuelled a powerful homosocial culture grounded in ideas of primal pageantry. Sport and game in this context represented essential elements of a performative leisure economy in which pursuit and capture dictated the terms of human-animal engagement and refracted broader impositions of colonial political authority. From here, it turns to dynamics of community on the game trail where the primacy of the sporting hero was confirmed and recalibrated along racial, class and gender lines, before travelling indoors to examine how the afterlife of the hunt (expressed in taxidermy) allowed the authority of the victorious hunter to be performed in the 'great indoors' and for colonial claims over space to be materially and symbolically affirmed. Today, the stories of the imperial hunter elite and their taxidermy trophies represent traumatic historical artefacts. However, they also denote important remnants of empire whose complicated provenance helps to explain how mutually supportive mechanisms of masculinity and colonialism operated to sanction the killing and (later) the conservation of game species. Offering a closer look at 'the bison in the room' and its embodied story of pursuit and capture, this paper provides valuable insights into the dynamics of sport in colonial space and the value of performance as a useful category for contextualising human-environmental relations in the age of empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper combines the perspectives of animal studies and reception theory to trace the audience shift of narratives foregrounding interactions between adolescent boys and animals published in the US in the first half of the twentieth century. More precisely, it argues that a text's focus on human–animal bonds can result in its "kiddification," a term explained by Beverly Lyon Clark as trivialization that leads to dismissal. We argue that the reasons for this shift include the solidification of the boy-and-his-dog convention in the 1940s as an example of formula fiction for juveniles, combined with the simultaneous proliferation of animal movies geared towards a family audience. The case under scrutiny is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's novel The Yearling and its film adaptation from 1946. Despite the book's initial success among general audiences (awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1939), with time Kinnan Rawlings's novel became "kiddified" and then passed into oblivion, rarely discussed by critics who deem it undeserving of attention and unread by contemporary juveniles, who perhaps find the book difficult, long and tedious (Groff, Harper's, https://harpers.org/archive/2014/01/the-lost-yearling/, 2014). Consequently, the foregrounding of affective human–animal bonds in the book resulted in its later association with children's literature, which was amplified by the film adaptation as well as the publisher's marketing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interspecies interactions between farmers and livestock have provided an important conceptual and empirical focus in expanding our understanding of animal geographies, with a burgeoning literature exploring the intricate material and discursive (re)positioning of animals across different socio-spatial contexts. This paper offers a new direction for understanding these human-animal encounters by exploring the ways in which farmer and animal identities are mediated by social media. By drawing on a qualitative analysis of UK farmers’ tweets about their livestock and semi-structured interviews about farmers’ use of social media, this paper examines how social media allows a reworking of the spatiotemporalities of animal-human relations and offers farmers the opportunity to co-construct their identities with their livestock and farming practices. The paper identifies three ways in which farmer–livestock relations are mediated by social media. Firstly, that animals are made visible as actors within farming cultures to those beyond the farm gate. Secondly, that the role of farm animals as subjects and objects is negotiated throughout temporal moments online and thirdly that representations on social media of interactions with animals plays a role in the (re)construction of farmers’ identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Too often when we think about agency, we think only about human actors. Increasingly, studies of animal-human relationships have explored the agency of animals who live alongside humans. This paper explores the agency of animals during interviews with trans young people and their families. A focus on the agency of animals is important in this context, given the unique meanings often attributed to animals by trans young people, who often experience the denial of their own agency. The data analysed in this paper constitute a subset of a larger sample of interviews with 17 trans young people and their families. The thematic analysis reported in this paper focuses on when animals were considered to show agency during video recordings, and what humans were saying during these portions of the recordings. Three forms of agency were identified: agency as affection, resistance, and proximity. The paper concludes by considering what it means to think about animal agency, what this means for trans young people, and more broadly what this means for research that seeks to involve animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) or local ecological knowledge (LEK) has only recently gained traction as "legitimate" science in Western academic discourse. Such approaches to inclusivity continue to face institutional, sociocultural, and equity barriers to being fully accepted in academic discourse in comparison to Western-based frameworks. Postcolonial studies have attempted to rectify this Western-domination in characterizing diverse forms of bird--human relationships. However, the integration of multiple cosmologies (worldviews) and ontologies (realities) in research or management creates challenges that we discuss. We elucidate commonalities and antithetical positions between Western-derived bird knowledge and management with that of TEK or LEK in both local and global contexts. We combine ecological/ornithological studies with key terms, theories, and methods from the social sciences to integrate the approaches and facilitate understanding. For example, we follow a "theory synthesis" approach in this conceptual paper to question epistemological and ontological assumptions of bird knowledge and how we acquire it to question, "how do we move from a decolonial approach (discussions and acknowledgement) to decolonization (action)?" This paper is a product of ongoing discourse among global researchers of an academic ethno-ornithology research lab based in the United Kingdom, who partner with global collaborators. The 3 case studies draw from ongoing research in Southeast Asia, South America, and decolonializing policy efforts in New Zealand. We analyzed these case studies using a postcolonial theoretical lens to provide insights into how Western scientists can embrace TEK and LEK and actively work to decolonize ethno-ornithology and ornithology in theory and practice. Further, we discuss perceived core tenets to equity and inclusion in community-based TEK and LEK conservation projects from the Global South. Diversity, equity, inclusivity, and justice in bird--human relations and knowledge were identified as targets for systemic change within the academic institutions of Western scientists. By recognizing, discussing, and embracing non-Western cosmologies and ontologies, non-Indigenous scientists can help influence the decolonization of ethno-ornithology, ornithology, and bird--human relations through respectful, participatory, equitable, culturally considerate, and "non-extractive" community-based initiatives in partnership with local groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erving Goffman's concept of framing is one of his most enduring contributions to social science. Despite the canonical status of Frame Analysis (1974) in multiple fields, few acknowledge its intellectual engagement with animal studies. It was Gregory Bateson, in an analysis of animal play, who first posited the idea of frames as metacommunicative propositions that signal the meaning of behavior. In this paper, we show that Goffman did not just opportunistically borrow the idea of framing from Bateson, but also advanced Bateson's thesis that nonhuman animals are capable of (re)framing the meaning of behavior. He emphasized that animals and humans could meta‐communicate with each other as well. Goffman polemicized against human exceptionalist theories of cognition and communication—not only in Frame Analysis, but also in unpublished remarks he delivered at a controversial conference on animal communication, and he suggested that the ability to meta‐communicate is a more appropriate index of mind than language. Although new research indicates that many species use “significant symbols” and have a “theory of mind,” most interactionists have not reckoned with the sociological implications of animals as “minded” social actors capable of metacommunication with each other—and with people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide an analysis of English animal-related terms used figuratively with reference to types of parenting. To be more precise, we make an attempt to investigate the scope of the conceptual metaphor PARENTS ARE ANIMALS. What ignited our interest was the ubiquity of linguistic metaphors featuring animal terms employed with reference to types of parenting present in everyday language, thus we have decided to delve into what types of animals are typical source domains in metaphors of this type. The methodology adopted is the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, originally proposed by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and further developed in numerous subsequent publications, especially those by Kövecses (2003, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2017a, 2017b). Our results are supported by evidence from the online Corpus of Contemporary American English and News on the Web Corpus, which may be said to corroborate not only the conceptual nature of metaphors as such, but also their impact on social cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My aim in this paper is to show that the natural idea that humiliation is harmful calls explanation and to argue that the most straightforward ways of responding to this explanatory demand fall short in important ways. I end by considering a line of response which I take to be promising, which appeals to our need, as social animals, for interpersonal connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a selection of foxhunting stories to explore the way in which anthropomorphized foxes were used to communicate pro-hunting messages to their mostly young readers. These justifications also appeared in nonfictional foxhunting sporting literature. Indeed, this literature included some of the same incredible anecdotes that also appeared in the work of nature writers at the turn of the twentieth century such as Charles G.D. Roberts and Ernest Thompson Seton working in a new sympathetic genre called the “animal story.” These writers found themselves under attack because naturalists like John Burroughs, and hunters, including President Theodore Roosevelt, found their stories to be inaccurate and anthropocentric. Roosevelt dubbed them the “nature fakers.” Foxhunting “histories” employed imaginative material and much anthropomorphism but were not attacked for doing so. This tends to indicate that anthropomorphisms were more acceptable when they were facilitating animal exploitation than when they were used to promote the perspective of nonhuman animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Virtual fencing is an alternative to the ubiquitously used physical fences. It uses GPS to determine the location of livestock relative to a virtual line. The system deters livestock from leaving the enclosure by using an auditory warning followed by an electric impulse during approach and crossing of the fence line. This paper assessed the social effects on learning between cattle with and without prior experience with virtual fencing through three case studies: one with a gradual and two with an instant introduction method. These were applied to assess if improvements in associative learning could be made. Due to the non-standardised experiments, it was not possible to analyse the effect across the case studies and therefore to conclude whether the number of experienced cattle or the different introduction methods influenced the inexperienced cattle. Agricultural industries rely on physical fences to manage livestock. However, these present practical, financial, and ecological challenges, which may be solved using virtual fencing. This study aimed to identify how experienced cattle through social facilitation and the introduction method influence inexperienced cattle. Based on three stocks held in Fanø, Denmark, containing 12, 17 and 13 Angus (Bos taurus), we examined the virtual fence learning in three case studies using one gradual introduction with zero experienced cattle (A) and two different instant introductions with one (B) and ten (C) experienced cattle. Gradual introduction had the virtual fence moved 20 m every other day for eleven days, and in the two instant introductions, the physical fence was removed in one day. Warnings and impulses were recorded during an 11-day learning period and a 26-day post-learning period, using the impulses per warning to quantify if the cattle adapted. Case studies A and B showed a significant reduction in the warnings and impulses, but only A showed a significant reduction in the impulses per warning when comparing the learning period to the post-learning period. Due to the non-standardised experiments, it was not possible to conclude if the number of experienced cattle or the introduction method had an effect on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking its cue from the Islamic Ecological Paradigm, deeply rooted in Islamic religious traditions, which emerged more than 1400 years ago, this paper reimagines the human-nonhuman relationship against the backdrop of the arguably assumed superiority of mankind in (Islamic) theological discourses. Using Qurʾānic narratives as a key point of divergence in the natural superiority of man within the idea of vicegerency, we argue that the Qurʾān's egalitarian ethos presents animals as 'intentional political agents' (Pepper 2021: 30) independent of human intercession. This agency enables them to be key players in deciding the outcomes of political conundrums; in so doing, it also rebuts and destabilises arrogant anthropocentric presuppositions associated with the idea of vicegerency. We particularly read, in 'signs themed' Qurʾānic narratives, a dynamic relationship between humans and animals through the animal's role as Allah's warriors and agents against human oppressors and transgressors. Drawing on the Islamic Ecological Paradigm, Angie Pepper's idea of intentional political agency and Sarra Tlili's de-anthropocentric reading of the Qurʾān, we suggest that the Qurʾān robustly invites humans to reflect on the animal world by foregrounding animals as political agents while epitomising human accountability and responsibility towards them instead of establishing a relationship of dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Agri-silvicultures (ASC) are biocultural practices procuring either the maintenance of wild diversity in predominantly agricultural spaces or introducing agrobiodiversity into forests. In the Mesoamerican region, ASC contribute to food sovereignty and territorial conservation and provide strategies for dealing with global changes. Previous inventories of ASC identified gaps in information about these systems in the Mexican Arid America region. This article raises the general question: How have human interactions between cultural, wild, and domesticated biodiversity in this territory? The particular questions in this paper are: (i) How have historical processes shaped human interactions between wild and domesticated biodiversity in the region? and (ii) What types of agri-silvicultures have emerged in Mexican Arid America since these relationships? Methods: We trace a methodological border where archaeologists have identified the Mesoamerican region to define our study area as Arid America northern of this line in Mexico. We analyzed agriculturalization processes in Arid America through a historical review. Then, we carry out an inventory of Arid America ASC based on academic papers and other documented experiences. We constructed a spatial database and a typology to understand what kinds of agri-silviculture occur in the region. Results: We identified several pre-Hispanic agri-silvicultural practices in the region, like hunting, fishing, terraces, gathering, and irrigation systems. The cultivation of native species of maize, beans, and squash even was registered. The Spanish colonization forced the agriculturization in arid northern Mexico, where itinerant hunting-gathering patterns predominated. In the twentieth century, the Green Revolution adopted this area as the principal setting for industrialized agriculture. The industrialized irrigated systems expansion and other political strategies provoked the simplification of productive landscapes. The practices that integrate wild and agricultural diversity systems were marginalized and invisibilized in such a context. Our research group proposes seven types of agri-silvicultural systems (natives agrisilvicultures, the oases agroforestry, Mesquite and Huisache ASC, homegardens and other traditional forms of agroforestry or agri-silvicultures). These agri-silvicultures provide food, medicine, fodder, and other contributions, as income to the families that practice them and protect native and exotic species. Discussion and conclusion: The agriculturization of the arid environments initiated during Spanish colonization and the subsequent modernizing projects shaped dominant actors and ideologies in the arid north of Mexico. However, aridity has favored ancestral and agroecological relationships between cultures and biodiversity, emerging and subsisting Arid American agri-silvicultures. These agri-silvicultures deserve to be understood, adopted, and adapted to new contexts. They could be essential alternatives in the context of environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will explore the carceral logics affecting nonhuman and human animals in a popular second-century Christian text, the Acts of Paul. Two parallel scenes feature imprisoned animals pitted against imprisoned humans in the punitive entertainment spectacle of the amphitheater. Through these scenes, this paper will examine the ancient practice of animal captivity, the "de-animalizing" effects of imprisonment on human and nonhuman victims, and the problematic witness of early Christian writings to these phenomena as the texts, and the humans in them, variously exploit, fear, threaten, anthropomorphize, are protected by, compete with, and enter into solidarity with other imprisoned animals. Finally, it will discuss the (potentially) inclusive role of this text in naming animals as "confessors," or imprisoned, suffering witnesses to the gospel, in a carcerally-controlled world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temptation narrative in Mark's gospel contains an unusual detail absent from the counterpart traditions in Matthew and Luke. In Mk 1.13, Jesus is described as being 'with the wild animals'. Several Hebrew Bible texts and typologies have been suggested to explain this unique Markan feature; however, none has gained widespread support. This article takes a different approach and investigates this enigmatic Markan phrase by focusing on the description of Nebuchadnezzar in the Greek editions of Dan. 4. While a connection between these biblical texts has been suggested before, this paper will expand upon such observations through a more detailed comparison of several key features of these texts. It will be shown that, due to these connections, it is probable that Mark's reference to wild animals is a comment on the behaviors exhibited by Jesus by living in the wilderness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI) is widespread in the treatment of ischemic heart disease, and its treatment options are currently limited. Adiponectin (APN) is an adipocytokine with cardioprotective properties; however, the mechanisms of APN in MIRI are unclear. Therefore, based on preclinical (animal model) evidence, the cardioprotective effects of APN and the underlying mechanisms were explored. Methods: The literature was searched for the protective effect of APN on MIRI in six databases until 16 November 2023, and data were extracted according to selection criteria. The outcomes were the size of the myocardial necrosis area and hemodynamics. Markers of oxidation, apoptosis, and inflammation were secondary outcome indicators. The quality evaluation was performed using the animal study evaluation scale recommended by the Systematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experimentation statement. Stata/MP 14.0 software was used for the summary analysis. Results: In total, 20 papers with 426 animals were included in this study. The pooled analysis revealed that APN significantly reduced myocardial infarct size [weighted mean difference (WMD) = 16.67 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 13.18 to 20.16, P < 0.001)] and improved hemodynamics compared to the MIRI group [Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure: WMD = 5.96 (95% CI = 4.23 to 7.70, P < 0.001); + dP/dtmax: WMD = 1393.59 (95% CI = 972.57 to 1814.60, P < 0.001); -dP/dtmax: WMD = 850.06 (95% CI = 541.22 to 1158.90, P < 0.001); Left ventricular ejection fraction: WMD = 9.96 (95% CI = 7.29 to 12.63, P < 0.001)]. Apoptosis indicators [caspase-3: standardized mean difference (SMD) = 3.86 (95% CI = 2.97 to 4.76, P < 0.001); TUNEL-positive cells: WMD = 13.10 (95% CI = 8.15 to 18.05, P < 0.001)], inflammatory factor levels [TNF-α: SMD = 4.23 (95% CI = 2.48 to 5.98, P < 0.001)], oxidative stress indicators [Superoxide production: SMD = 4.53 (95% CI = 2.39 to 6.67, P < 0.001)], and lactate dehydrogenase levels [SMD = 2.82 (95% CI = 1.60 to 4.04, P < 0.001)] were significantly reduced. However, the superoxide dismutase content was significantly increased [SMD = 1.91 (95% CI = 1.17 to 2.65, P < 0.001)]. Conclusion: APN protects against MIRI via anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antioxidant effects, and this effect is achieved by activating different signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermented feed has the advantages of green, safety, good palatability, promoting growth, enhancing immunity, reducing cost and increasing efficiency, etc. It can be used as an antibiotic substitute in animal production. In this paper, the common strains, classification, quality evaluation, physiological function of fermented feed, and the effect of fermented feed in animal production were summarized, the existing problems and solutions of fermented feed at present were analyzed, and the development trend of fermented feed was prospected, which provided references for the wider application of fermented feed in animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to make a small revision of the literature on rural domestic animals and wild ones in Brazilian cities from the perspective of an anthropology of human-animal relations. To this, we add some new ethnographic data, collected individually or together, which aim to cast a light on the idea of a city set apart from the 'natural world', as if there were no entanglements and intersections between humans and the wild fauna in contemporary cities. We want to believe that the animal life is also part of the urban landscapes, and that we build together these landscapes with multiple more-than-humans ecologies in an urban context. In this sense, the cities present themselves as the lace of an oykos of interactions and living with the urban fauna (domesticated, tamed or wild), and also with the flora (also domesticated, tamed and wild), along with other organisms in an ecological context that produces plural environments, instead of cities that onli mean the place of the anthropos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intervenes in a contemporary debate on the animal ethics of the Brethren of Purity's (Iḫwān al-Ṣafāʾ) epistle on animals. I argue that they present a case for justice for animals by rejecting the fallacious link between ontological superiority and moral superiority. Since human beings are vice-regents of God and since the rational soul is the vice-regent, the Brethren's account of human beings as superior in virtue of their rationality establishes a moral obligation toward animals. The Brethren develop this account partially under the influence of the Muʿtazilī theological tradition, and as a result, their position falls in line with other positions on justice for animals found during their time. Even on the issue of animal use, the Brethren maintain that the human need for animal labor emphasizes the obligation to treat animals justly. In the end, the greater rational capacity of human beings entails greater moral responsibility toward animals, not moral impunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of stress and behavioral disorders are growing significantly in the contemporary word in humans and animals alike. Various drugs are used to modify affected behavior, including psychotropic, anticonvulsant, antihistamines, hormones, analgesics, and neuroleptics. Psychotropic drugs are prescribed for animals with behavioral disorders, signs of anxiety or hypersensitivity. Improving the methods of diagnosing and treating behavioral disorders in animals can enhance animal welfare and optimize animal husbandry technology. Future research should be aimed at improving and optimizing the use of psychotropic drugs for behavioral disorders of various animal species. The main indication for the use of anxiolytic drugs is behavioral disorders associated with anxiety in wild and domestic animals. When anxiolytic drugs are used in mammals their pharmacological properties, the dependence of their action on the route of administration, age and species of the animal, and the ability to selectively affect the central nervous system should be taken into account. The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of behavioral disorders in animals are fluoxetine, amitriptyline, escitalopram, haloperidol, zuclopentixol and azaperone. Fluoxetine is an effective drug for the treatment of dogs with behavioral disorders associated with psychological changes. An important component of escitalopram's pharmacological effect is the psychomotor influence, when the animal's behavior changes are due to improved motor activity. Zuclopentixol has a wide range of anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic effects when used in wild cloven-hoofed animals. Amitriptyline along with antidepressant properties, has a local analgesic impact. Azaperone has a pronounced anxiolytic and sedative effect on animals. It is widely used as an antistress agent to overcome anxiety caused by weaning, regrouping or veterinary manipulations. Azaperone is often used to control aggressive behavior in group housing, especially in the pig industry. The psychotropic drugs surveyed in this paper, along with direct anxiolytic action, are able to manifest additional physiological effects, which should be taken into account when developing treatment protocols for animals with behavioral problems. Further targeted studies are required to assess the pharmacological effects of anxiolytic drugs in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the method of using sonography during surgery in animals with polycystic kidney disease is an urgent task since firstly, sonography is a safe and non-invasive method of examination, which allows determining the structural features of the kidneys before, during, and after surgery. Secondly, from the standpoint of improving the results of surgery, sonography helps to clarify the localisation of cysts and determine their size. Thirdly, an important factor in the use of sonography is the reduction of pain and the risk of postoperative complications. In addition, due to this method of kidney examination, it is possible to more accurately determine the optimal route of access to cysts, which helps to reduce tissue injury and ensures rapid recovery of the animal after surgery. The purpose of the study is to analyse in detail and describe the method of using sonography during surgery in animals with polycystic kidney disease. The study focuses on the need to determine how sonography affects reducing the duration of surgery, improving the quality of cyst removal, and reducing the risk of complications during abdominal surgery. The approach in this study is based on the analysis of scientific papers on this subject, in particular on the experience of veterinarians who have already used sonography during abdominal operations in animals with polycystic kidney disease. Thus, special techniques of sonography and surgical treatment of kidney cysts include dopplerography, colour dopplerography, 3D and 4D sonography, elastography, introperative sonography, intraperitoneal sonography, and duplex scanning of renal arteries and veins. Surgical methods of treatment include extraction of individual cysts, drainage of cysts, resection, and nephrectomy. The use of sonography at different stages of surgical intervention helps to optimise the operation process, reduce the risk of complications, and contribute to the introduction of new approaches in the treatment of animals with polycystic kidney disease, which will substantially improve their quality of life [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Avicenna, the perfect (or complete) disposition (istiʿdād kāmil / tāmm) turns prime matter, which is potentially receptive to every form (or power, or quality), into complected matter, which is endowed with uniform quality. The latter, i.e., complexion (mizāǧ) or complexional form (ṣūra mizāǧiyya), is suitable to receive some particular form (or power, or quality) and not another. The question arises as to how matter acquires its specific complexion. Is it the result of celestial influence, or does it emerge from chemical, elemental interactions within matter? This paper tries to answer this question with textual evidence from Avicenna's natural philosophy and metaphysics. Together with soul/form, complected matter represents the other constituent of organic, living substances. The paper then attempts to determine which science is proper to its investigation. I argue that the investigation of organic matter, that is, the specific complexion characterizing the animal body (or its parts), pertains to zoology. Zoology is crucial to grounding medical practice, which operates on those specific complexions to preserve or restore health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bushmeat is a resource exploited by thousands of people around the world, especially in tropical and neotropical regions, constituting an important source of protein and income. But what is known, so far, about the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat (hereinafter "bushmeat") in a megadiverse country like Brazil? This question was answered through a systematic survey of publications on the consumption and trade of wild vertebrate meat made in Brazil between 2011 and 2021. Methods: We selected 63 scientific articles available on "Google Scholar," "Science Direct," "Scopus," " Web of Science" and "Portal de Periódico da CAPES." The articles were categorized as: exclusive to (1) consumption or (2) bushmeat trade, totals of 54 and three articles, respectively; both (3) consumption and trade bushmeat, totaling six articles. We applied a nonparametric Spearman's correlation analysis to verify the association between the number of papers and the species richness of wild vertebrates cited for consumption by Brazilian state. Results: The results revealed that the publications were concentrated in the Northeast (36), North (26) and Southeast (1) regions, distributed across 16 states of the federation. These data reinforce the need for more researches in states and other regions of the country. Our research hypothesis was confirmed, since the richness of species cited for meat consumption was positively associated with the amount of work carried out by the states of the federation. We identified a total of 321 species of wild vertebrates mentioned in the categories involving the consumption of bushmeat. We had a greater bird species richness mentioned for consumption (170) to the detriment of mammals (107), reptiles (40) and amphibians (4). Furthermore, in the articles involving the bushmeat trade categories we had 57 species of vertebrates mentioned, with mammals being the most representative in terms of species richness (29), to the detriment of birds (20) and reptiles (8). These data reinforce that birds and mammals have been the groups most used both for consumption and trade in bushmeat in the country's regions, and it is necessary to mitigate the hunting exploitation of these groups. We recorded that socioeconomic, biological, environmental and sociocultural factors were the most cited predictors of the consumption and trade of bushmeat in the articles. We identified that the bushmeat trade chain is dynamic and ramified, made up of several actors, including specialized and diversified hunters, intermediaries, market sellers, market vendors, restaurant owners and final customers. Public markets and open-air fairs were the most cited places for buying and selling wild meat in commerce. Conclusions: In general, our results indicate that we have made significant advances in publications on the consumption and trade of bushmeat in Brazil over the last few years. However, we highlight the need to better understand the patterns of consumption and trade of bushmeat in different regions of the country, as well as the factors associated with the dynamics of the trade chain and uses of wildlife by local communities. We emphasized that a multidimensional understanding of hunting activities is important to face socio-ecological problems and improve the conservation of target species which have continually been explored for uses by populations in different regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several animal species have been found to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The occurrence of infection in dogs and cats living in close contact with owners deserves particular attention from public health authorities in a One Health approach. In this study, we conducted serological screening to identify SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the sera from dogs and cats in three regions of southern Italy sampled during the years 2021 and 2022. We collected 100 serum samples in 2021 (89 from dogs and 11 from cats) and 640 in 2022 (577 from dogs and 63 from cats). Overall, the ELISA positivity rate was found to be 2.7% (20/740), with higher seroprevalence in dogs. Serum neutralization tests confirmed positivity only in two samples collected from dogs, and the assays, performed with serologically distinct SARS-CoV-2 variants, showed variant-specific positivity. This paper shows that monitoring SARS-CoV-2 exposure in animals might be affected by the viral antigenic evolution, which requires continuous updates to the serological tests used. Serological surveys are useful in understanding the true extent of exposure occurring in specific animal populations, not suffering the same limitations as molecular tests, and could help in identifying the infecting virus if tests able to characterize the immune response are used. The use of variant-specific validated serological methods should always be considered in serosurvey studies in order to determine the real impact of emerging variants on animal populations and its implications for veterinary and human health, as well as to identify potential reservoirs of the virus and its evolutionary changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nonlinear dynamical model is developed in this paper that depicts interactions among vultures, human, animals and their carcasses. Diseases such as plague, anthrax and rabies are spreading due to the cascade impact caused by the catastrophic drop in the vulture population, particularly in Africa and Asia. The built model is theoretically studied using qualitative differential-equation theory to demonstrate the system’s rich dynamical features, which are critical for maintaining the ecosystem’s equilibrium. According to the qualitative findings, depending on the parameter combinations, the system not only displays stability of many equilibrium states but also experiences transcritical and Hopf bifurcations. By keeping an eye on the variables causing the decline of the vulture population, the model’s outputs may assist in maintaining balance with the prevention of the spread of disease through carcasses. Hopf-bifurcation results in the bifurcation of the limit cycle through the threshold, supporting the idea that interactions between humans and vultures may also be periodic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feetary probiotics are widely used in the animal production process, and the quality of animal meat determines the economic benefits. Probiotics can improve the meat quality and flavor of animals, thus improving the meat quality. This paper discusses the effects of common dietary probiotics on animal meat quality, improving the metabolism of nutrients, improving the antioxidant ability, optimization of intestinal flora and improving the mechanism of the secretion of ghrelin (Ghrelin), and provides a reference for the influence of probiotics on animal meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a prominent family of views about the justification of legitimate policy-making (public justification views), considerations about the rights and well-being of nonhuman animals can only play a derivative role at best. On these views, these considerations matter only if they can figure in the content of the public reasons that citizens can offer each other. This thesis I call the Indirect View. Some authors have argued that this constitutes a reason to reject the ideal of public justification, or at least to qualify it. It is unclear, however, whether public justification theorists will be persuaded by this. In this paper, I argue that they should. In order to do so, I focus on three justifications of the ideal of public justification that have been offered in the literature (justice, our reactive attitudes, and civic friendship), and contend that none of them supports the Indirect View. In some cases, this is because the value in question (e.g. justice) might indeed be extended to animals. In other cases, this is because there is often a trade-off between the values in play and considerations about the rights and well-being of animals in which the former do not always outweigh the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In the article, ancient concepts linking animals and wine are discussed. This paper provides a description of animals that in antiquity were considered to be especially fond of grapes and wine, as well as animals that were, for various reasons, given wine to drink by humans, and animals that in ancient literature had an averse association with wine. In the paper, the author attempts to answer the following questions, what was the conceptual framework for the tales about drunk animals? In what circumstances were observations of animals becoming inebriated conducted? Which animal species were considered as most susceptible to the effects of wine? Last, was wine believed to affect animals and humans in a similar way? Methods: Ancient literature provides a set of extant information about animals that willingly become inebriated with grapes or are given wine by humans, which deserves a separate analysis. The ancient authors commonly interspersed narration with information about the animals and invoked personal experiences of contact with the described animal and information obtained from those who had the opportunity to conduct 'zoological' observations or even medical experiments. Results: There is a large group of animals that appear in ancient accounts consuming alcohol in the form of fermented fruit and wine. The ancients held the mostly incorrect belief that snakes had an enormous predilection for wine; moreover, contemporary research confirms that, as the ancients rightly observed, insects and birds do display a fondness for fermented fruit and wine. It was correctly observed that an excess of wine induced extreme states, such as sleepiness and aggression in animals, in a manner similar to humans. Conclusions: Accounts in ancient literature show a close association between animals and wine existed among the Greeks and Romans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores Donna Haraway’s approach to ‘the political’ in her book When Species Meet. The paper proposes an alternative to previous readings of Haraway’s work on food, eating and animals, which have interpreted Haraway’s argument as a stance against veganism or as a depoliticised approach to animal exploitation. Drawing on Margret Grebowicz and Helen Merrick’s analysis of Haraway’s work in relation to political theory and Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic approach to the political, this paper instead argues that Haraway’s contribution is neither particularly set against veganism nor is it depoliticised. The paper argues that Haraway’s work can rather be made sense of in relation to an agonistic approach to the political that fosters a space for disagreement and ongoing reflection of the constitutive outsides of agreements on food and animal political issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of applied behavior analysis has been directly involved in both research and applications of behavioral principles to improve the lives of captive zoo animals. Thirty years ago, Forthman and Ogden (1992) wrote one of the first papers documenting some of these efforts. Since that time, considerable work has been done using behavioral principles and procedures to guide zoo welfare efforts. The current paper reexamines and updates Forthman and Ogden's original points, with attention to the 5 categories they detailed: (a) promotion of species‐typical behavior, (b) reintroduction and repatriation of endangered species, (c) animal handling, (d) pest control, and (e) animal performances. In addition, we outline 3 current and future directions for behavior analytic endeavors: (a) experimental analyses of behavior and the zoo, (b) applied behavior analysis and the zoo, and (c) single‐case designs and the zoo. The goal is to provide a framework that can guide future behavioral research in zoos, as well as create applications based on these empirical evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tangsas are rich in their traditional knowledge-based medicinal practices. They employ various traditional healing mechanisms like spiritual healing, herbal healing and zootherapeutic healing to deal with numerous health-related problems. This paper investigates the traditional knowledge of animal-based remedies among the Tangsa community of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The paper deals with three important areas; first, it attempts to identify some of the animal species which are useful for medicinal purposes, secondly to understand how animal-based medicines are prepared and applied, and lastly to know about different diseases that can be treated traditionally with animal-based products. The present study is based on the empirical data collected during fieldwork conducted in seven villages located in different parts of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been observed that use of animal-based remedies among the Tangsa community is gradually declining due to varied reasons like modern medical facilities, education, intervention of the govt., lack of resources and products, shortage of medicine experts, and so on. Thus, this study is important to document the use of animal-based remedies as part of a traditional knowledge system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Office of Naval Research sponsored the Blast Load Assessment Sense and Test (BLAST) program to develop a rapid, in-field solution that could be used by team leaders, commanders, and medical personnel to provide a standardized approach to operationally relevant monitoring and analysis of service members exposed to single or repeated low-level blast. A critical piece of the BLAST team's solution was the development of the Brain Gauge technology which includes a cognitive assessment device that measures neurofunctional changes by testing sensory perceptions and a suite of mathematical algorithms that analyze the results of the test. The most recent versions of the technology are easily portable; the device is in the size and shape of a computer mouse. Tests can be administered in a matter of minutes and do not require oversight by a clinician, making Brain Gauge an excellent choice for field use. This paper describes the theoretical underpinnings and performance of a fieldable Brain Gauge technology for use with military populations.Materials and Methods: The methods used by the Brain Gauge have been documented in over 80 peer-reviewed publications. These papers are reviewed, and the utility of the Brain Gauge is described in terms of those publications.Results: The Brain Gauge has been demonstrated to be an effective tool for assessing blast-induced neurotrauma and tracking its recovery. Additionally, the method parallels neurophysiological findings of animal models which provide insight into the sensitivity of specific metrics to mechanisms of information processing.Conclusions: The overall objective of the work was to provide an efficient tool, or tools, that can be effectively used for (1) determining stand-down criteria when critical levels of blast exposure have been reached and (2) tracking the brain health history until return-to-duty status is achieved. Neurofunctional outcome measures will provide the scientific link between blast sensors and the impact of blast on biological health. This calibration process is strengthened with outcome measures that have a biological basis that are paralleled in animal models. The integrative approach that utilizes the Brain Gauge technology will provide a significant advance for assessing the impact of blast exposure and support rapid, science-based decision-making that will ensure mission success and promote the protection of brain health in service members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents three species of robber flies collected by the pitfall trap in 2012 from 5 different habitats in Turkmen mountains, which is not widely used in sampling for these insects but is used as a standard catch method in many different insect families. These species are Epitriptus micans (Meigen, 1820), Dysmachus fuscipennis (Meigen, 1820) and Erax hayati Tomasovic, 2002. Epitriptus micans is a new record for the fauna of Türkiye, and all of them were also first recorded in Türkmen Mountains. Additionally, Erax hayati, has been reported for the second time since its description from Türkiye, after its type locality, Malatya. The study was compared with other studies in which different capture methods were applied. Brief taxonomic remarks with figures and distributional data are given for each species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores what it means to 'animalise' International Relations (IR). The posthuman move in the social sciences has involved the process of de-centring the human, replacing an anthropocentric focus with a view of the human as embedded within a complex network of inter-species relations. In a previous work we drew attention to the lack of analysis within International Relations of the key role played by more-than human animals in situations of conflict. The current COVID-19 pandemic again indicates that an analysis of international relations that does not have at its core an understanding of a more than human world is always going to be an incomplete account. The paper argues for the animalising of International Relations in order to enhance inclusivity, and suggests five ways in which this might be approached. As it becomes increasingly clear that a climate-related collapse is imminent, we argue for a transformative approach to the discipline, stressing interlinked networks and a shared vulnerability as a political project which challenges capitalism (advanced/late/carboniferous/genocidal) and the failure of states to address the concatenation of crises that life on the planet confronts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals have been almost entirely absent from scholarly appraisals of the ethics of war. Just-war theory concerns when communities may permissibly resort to war; who may wage war; who they may harm in war; and what kinds of harm they may cause. Each question can be complicated by animals' inclusion. After introducing just-war theory and the argument for an animal-inclusive just-war theory, this paper reviews ethical appraisals of war on animals' behalf and wars against animals. It then turns to consider harm to and use of animals in war. It concludes by considering questions in the ethics of war beyond just-war theory as traditionally construed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that Leibniz's use of the concept of "automaton" to characterize the nature of souls and bodies of living beings constitutes a systematic critique of Descartes' earlier use of automata. Whereas Descartes conceived non-human animals in terms of mechanical automata, he also denied that the human rational soul can be modeled on the nature of an automaton. In contrast, Leibniz understood living things to involve both an organic body, or "natural automaton," as well as an immaterial soul, or "spiritual automaton," that spontaneously produces its own perceptions. In extending the concept of the automaton to souls, Leibniz rejected key Cartesian assumptions about animals and free will and draws on the concept of the automaton to understand a range of cognitive capacities including volition. Leibniz thus occupies a distinctive place in the history of the use of automata to understand the nature of living things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cancer cells are characterized by massive glucose consumption, leading to increased lactate generation. Once considered a waste product, this metabolite was recently shown to take part in the regulation of gene expression. The regulatory properties of lactate were also found to play a role in fostering drug resistance. In this paper, we examined whether the exposure of cancer cells to increased lactate levels can affect the anticancer efficacy of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin is a widely used drug, whose clinical application is often hampered by severe cardiotoxicity. We found that lactate can offer protection against oxidative damage caused by the drug. Interestingly, oxidative damage is reputed secondary to the antineoplastic action of the drug but plays an important role in mediating its cardiotoxic effects. Background: Doxorubicin (DOXO) is currently administered as the first-choice therapy for a variety of malignancies. Cancer cells exhibit enhanced glycolysis and lactate production. This metabolite affects gene expression and can play a role in chemoresistance. Aim of this study: We investigated whether the enhanced lactate levels that characterize neoplastic tissues can modify the response of cancer cells to DOXO. Methods: After exposing cancer cells to increased lactate levels, we examined whether this metabolite could interfere with the principal mechanisms responsible for the DOXO antineoplastic effect. Results: Increased lactate levels did not affect DOXO-induced topoisomerase poisoning but offered protection against the oxidative damage caused by the drug. This protection was related to changes in gene expression caused by the combined action of DOXO and lactate. Oxidative damage significantly contributed to the heavy cardiotoxicity following DOXO treatment. In cultured cardiomyocytes, we confirmed that DOXO-induced DNA damage and oxidative stress can be significantly mitigated by exposing the cells to increased lactate levels. Conclusions: In addition to contributing to elucidating the effects of the combined action of DOXO and lactate, our results suggest a possible method to reduce the heavy drug cardiotoxicity, a major side effect leading to therapy discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the nanotechnology era, nanotechnology applications have been intensifying their prospects to embrace all the vigorous sectors persuading human health and animal. The safety and concerns regarding the widespread use of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) and their potential effect on human health still require further clarification. Literature elucidated that NMs exhibited significant adverse effects on various molecular and cellular alterations. Epigenetics is a complex process resulting in the interactions between an organism's environment and genome. The epigenetic modifications, including histone modification and DNA methylation, chromatin structure and DNA accessibility alteration, regulate gene expression patterns. Disturbances of epigenetic markers induced by NMs might promote the sensitivity of humans and animals to several diseases. Also, this paper focuses on the epigenetic regulators of some dietary nutrients that have been confirmed to stimulate the epigenome and, more exactly, DNA histone modifications and non-histone proteins modulation by acetylation, and phosphorylation inhibition, which counteracts oxidative stress generations. The present review epitomizes the recent evidence of the potential effects of NMs on histone modifications, in addition to in vivo and in vitro cytosine DNA methylation and its toxicity. Furthermore, the part of epigenetic fluctuations as possible translational biomarkers for uncovering untoward properties of NMs is deliberated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper aims to analyze several German and French idiomatic expressions and their equivalent in Romanian by highlighting the similarities and differences between these languages. The examples with which we want to illustrate this analysis are part of the animal kingdom, a generous reservoir of images that illustrates certain symmetry between the phraseologisms of Romanian, French, and German, although this fact is not a mandatory aspect. The semantic equivalents in Romanian of German and French idiomatic expressions containing words from the animal kingdom highlight the material and spiritual richness of the two civilizations because the animal world has always held a special attraction in the collective imagination of humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every day, wild animals suffer and die from myriad natural causes. For those committed to non-speciesism, what wild animal suffering entails for us morally is a question of the utmost importance, and yet there remains significant disagreement at the level of normative theory. In this paper I argue that in situations of moral urgency environmental managers and policy makers should refer to widely-agreeable moral principles for guidance. I claim that the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy and justice do well to capture our widely-held values, and that the first three principles all support large-scale interventions in nature. I then argue that balancing these against non-maleficence will still allow for the careful consideration of interventions, although is unlikely to support lethal methods. This argument is intended to provide a reasonable starting point for theory-agnostic decision makers, and places the burden of proof on those who oppose intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human practices in which animals are involved often include the application of technology: some farmed animals are for example milked robotically or monitored by smart technologies, laboratory animals are adapted to specific purposes through the application of biotechnologies, and pets have their own social media accounts. Animal ethicists have raised concerns about some of these practices, but tend to assume that technologies are just neutral intermediaries in human-animal relations. This paper questions that assumption and addresses how technologies might shape human-animal relations in non-neutral ways. Building on the technological mediation approach, it proposes that technologies can influence human-animal relations by amplifying and reducing certain aspects of animals in human perception or by inviting and inhibiting certain actions towards animals. The paper next considers, in two concretizing steps, how this theoretical starting point can enrich ethical discussions on technology and human-animal relations. First, it shows how the technological mediation approach can help to conceptualize a main concern that has been raised regarding the impact of technologies on human-animal relations, namely the concern that animals might be 'instrumentalized' or 'objectified' in certain technological practices. Second, it considers how this approach can guide investigations of how particular technologies might affect human-animal relations, taking genetic selection technologies as used in livestock breeding as a case. The paper closes by briefly reviewing the prospects and challenges for the application of the technological mediation approach to human-animal relations, thus sketching directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"The alētheia of Cats. Balthus, Rilke and the Problem of the 'Open'". This paper takes as a starting point the artistic collaboration between Rainer Maria Rilke and Balthazar Klossowski -Balthus-, which took the form of a book entitled Mitsou. Story of a Cat, illustrated by the young painter and foreworded by the poet. This case study serves as a guiding thread running through a deep analysis of the problem of the "Open", a noumenic concept coined by Rilke in his creative exchange with Balthus. This concept was specifically discussed by Martin Heidegger. Thus, the present paper attempts to address the implications of affinity and confrontation between Rilke and Heidegger and to explore the metaphorical figure of the cat as the expression of certain animality within the unveiling that takes place in the Da-sein. For this purpose, it will also be necessary to explore theoretical key approaches taken from Ortega y Gasset and Schopenhauer, as well as critical positions particularly relevant in this field defended by Giorgio Agamben and Jacques Derrida, which tend towards an animalistic ontology of alētheia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short paper reports a thomisid species which is new for the Turkish araneofauna. The characteristic features and photographs of Ozyptila rigida (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are presented in addition to its distribution map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Aluminium is a predominant heavy metal found in everyday products like perfumes, antiperspirants, medication, milk, vaccinations, etc. Biologically available Aluminum is non-essential and toxic to the body. Excessive intake of Aluminum can lead to various negative consequences such as neurodegeneration of the brain, age-related changes, etc. Most of the aluminium exposure is through food and its products. Hence, this study aims to determine the Aluminium levels in milk. Materials and Methods: Twenty samples were collected and stored in the Tiruvallur district area, Chennai. They were broken down into nitric and perchloric acid (4:1 v/v) until a transparent solution was obtained. This was then filtered using Whatman filter paper and diluted. Aluminum content was estimated using a flame absorption spectrophotometer. Results: This study shows that the mean aluminum levels in the milk supply in Tiruvallur district are 116.25 ± 28.316. The current study also showed that the values are significant (p=0.000). Conclusion: Hence, the Aluminium levels of milk are within permissible levels, and care should be taken not to intake excessive amounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of public health events, the government needs to adopt reasonable support strategies to help cultural enterprises tide over the crisis. However, the original analytic hierarchy process cannot be comprehensive and accurate analysis, resulting in that the government support strategy cannot play a role. Fish swarm algorithm is a comprehensive intelligent algorithm, which can comprehensively analyze the factors affecting the formulation of supporting strategies for cultural enterprises, and has the advantages of simple operation and strong analysis ability. Under this background, this paper puts forward a fish swarm model; this method is a comprehensive intelligent analysis method, which can help the government find the best support strategy from the perspectives of politics, economy, and society. In order to verify the effectiveness of the fish school model, this paper uses MATLAB software for verification; the results show that, in the support strategy classification, selection accuracy, and selection time, fish school model is superior to the analytic hierarchy process. Therefore, the fish swarm model can help the government to better choose supporting policies and help cultural enterprises tide over the crisis and improve the accuracy of formulating supporting strategies for cultural enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]