Este proyecto surgió en base a que pudimos identificar que a pesar de que las personas que tienen un gato como mascota están aumentando, siguen siendo escasos los productos para la salud de estos. Además, de que encontramos en base a ciertos experimentos que estas mascotas suelen enfermarse con frecuencia desarrollando comportamientos (agresividad, ansiedad, excitación, no hacer uso de su arenero o nerviosismo) que suelen preocupar a su dueño. Descubriendo que el principal motivo de estos males para los gatos es el estrés. Es que hemos planteado en nuestra idea de producto una bebida hecha principalmente en base de Nepeta Cataria o mejor conocida como menta para gatos. Esta planta es atractiva para el gato y de igual forma lo relaja, produciendo una mejora en su comportamiento. Otros efectos positivos encontrados es que incita a los gatos al juego, lo que los hace que se vuelvan más activos físicamente evitando la obesidad. Asimismo, hace que el gato no presente caída de pelaje o se autolesione. Igualmente, incluimos la valeriana para que esta planta pueda reforzar el sistema nervioso, añadiendo más efectividad al momento de relajar al gato. Además, la valeriana añade un efecto antiinflamatorio intestinal que ayuda a la digestión del gato. Meaw Tea se va a enfocar en un segmento específico, el cual es Lima Metropolitana, abarcando así 5 distritos: Miraflores, San Isidro, Jesús María, Surco y La molina. Siendo estos lugares los primeros que obtendrán nuestro producto para el cuidado de la salud de su gato. / This project came up from the fact that we were able to identify that even though people who have a cat as a pet are increasing, their health products are still scarce. Based on certain experiments we found that these pets often get sick frequently developing behaviors (aggressiveness, anxiety, excitement, not using their litter box or nervousness) that usually worry their owner. Discovering that the main reason for these ills for cats is stress. It is that we have proposed in our product idea a drink that is mainly based on Nepeta Cataria or better known as mint for cats. This plant is attractive to the cat and relaxes it, producing an improvement in its behavior. Other positive effects we found are that it encourages cats to play, which makes them become more physically active while avoiding obesity. It also prevents the cat from hair loss or self-harm. Additionally, we include valerian so this plant can support the nervous system, adding more effectiveness to relax the cat. Also, valerian adds an anti-inflammatory intestinal effect that helps the cat to digest. Meaw Tea is going to focus on a specific segment, which is Metropolitan Lima, covering 5 districts: Miraflores, San Isidro, Jesús María, Surco and La Molina. These places are going to be the first to obtain our product for the health care of their cat. / Trabajo de investigación

Feline babesiosis, first described in domestic cats in South Africa in 1937, is regarded to be of great importance in the coastal regions although isolated cases also occur on the eastern highlands of Mpumalanga Province. Babesia felis (described from domestic cats) and B. leo (described from lions) are the two best characterised Babesia species in felids. These two parasites are morphologically similar when examined under a light microscope, but are serologically and genetically distinct. In this study the prevalence of these two Babesia species in various wild and domestic felid species was determined. A total of 358 samples were tested using the reverse line blot hybridization (RLB) assay. This assay makes it possible to simultaneously detect and differentiate between blood parasites using DNA probes. The RLB consists of three basic steps, the first being amplification of the variable region (V4) in the 18S rRNA gene using genus-specific primers where one is labelled with biotin. This is followed by a blotting step, where the amplicons are hybridized to oligonucleotides bound to a nitrocellulose membrane. The third and last step is the detection of the hybridized amplicons by using chemiluminescence reagents. This assay is a screening tool utilizing the variable (V4) region in the 18S rRNA gene to detect and differentiate between blood parasites. A new B. felis-specific DNA probe was developed to use in the RLB assay. Results demonstrated that these two parasites not only occur in the felid species from which they have been described, but also in other felid species. Babesia microti was also detected in various felid species, while B. rossi was detected in 1 of the lion samples. Two hundred and twelve samples tested positive for Babesia spp., of which only 54.24% of the samples reacted with the genus-specific probe. This indicates the presence of a novel Babesia or Theileria species or variant of a species. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

Based on two surveys, the thesis focuses on the prevalence of filarial parasites of domestic carnivores in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa and Maputo province of Mozambique. This is complemented by diagnostic results of routine examinations for filarial infections of dogs and cats from South Africa obtained between 1994 and 2008. Blood samples were collected and initially screened by membrane filtration for microfilariae. Other techniques employed were acid phosphatase staining for the identification of microfilariae and a commercial enzymelinked immunosorbent assay for the detection of heartworm antigen. Combined with a critical literature review on filariosis of domestic carnivores in Africa, which is updated by diagnostic results obtained from animals in Africa between 1992 and 2008, the topic is addressed for the first time ever from a continental perspective. In the South African provinces and Maputo province of Mozambique 196 of 1 379 dogs (14.21 %) were found positive for microfilariae. The species identified were Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilaria repens, Acanthocheilonema reconditum and Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides. The endemic status of D. immitis was confirmed in 2 out of 313 dogs from Maputo province but not in the South African provinces. Infection with D. repens was found in 70 dogs (5.08 %). The highest prevalence rate was recorded in KwaZulu-Natal with 12.47 % (52/417), followed by Maputo Province with 3.83 % (12/313) and Mpumalanga with 1.5 % (5/333). Routine examinations have also confirmed autochthonous infections with D. repens in Gauteng and North West provinces. Acanthocheilonema reconditum was the species with the highest overall prevalence of 8.85 % (122/1 379). The highest prevalence rate was recorded in Mpumalanga with 29.13 % (97/333) followed by Maputo province with 6.39 % (20/313) and KwaZulu-Natal with 1.2 % (5/417). Routine examinations have also confirmed autochthonous infections in Gauteng, North West and Western Cape provinces. Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides was the species with the lowest overall prevalence of 0.07 % (1/1 379) and was only recorded in 1 dog from Maputo Province. In KwaZulu-Natal 9 of 82 cats (10.98 %) were found positive for microfilariae, with D. repens as the only species involved. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

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This thesis evaluates a novel methodology for the user testing of digitally mediated human-animal interactions. The proposed method includes the structural analysis of video observations following a Grounded Theory approach. Complemented with more subjective human observations, this methodology aims to initiate a more informed iterative design and research process in which the animal’s experience with a playful artefact is analysed and reflected upon. The research involves the user testing of a prototype for an independently developed tablet game designed for cats and humans. With a focus on the user experience of the cat, the data analysis of this study results in new insights in the behaviour of the cat while interacting with the game. These outcomes are subsequently concluded in the form of design iterations that can help to improve the prototype. This study demonstrates how a new methodology can provide an initial focus on the perceptions and experience of the animal and lead to valuable insights that can advance the design of a digital artefact intended for animal use. Further research in this new area of interaction design can benefit from this study by expanding the theoretical framework and methodologies to different contexts and settings with the integration of playful technological artefacts and other animals that are known to engage in natural play.

No / Gazeau-Klauder coherent states for a one-mode system with sinusoidal potential, are introduced. Their quantum statistical properties and their uncertainties are studied. The effect of dissipation on these states is estimated. The evolution of the ordinary (Glauber) coherent states in this system, is also studied. It is shown that these states evolve into superpositions of many macroscopically distinguishable states (`multi-Schrödinger cats').

Syftet med föreliggande studie var att psykometriskt undersöka den svenska versionen av Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) för att skapa tillgång till ett självsvarsinstrument för barn och ungdomar som screenar för både traumahistorik och traumasymtom utifrån aktuellt diagnossystem DSM-5. För detta syfte undersöktes reliabilitet och evidens för validitet med hjälp av två sample; en normgrupp med 591 svenska skolelever i åldrarna 10 till 17 år samt en test-retestgrupp med 90 svenska skolelever i åldrarna 13 till 17 år. En pilotstudie med 38 svenska skolelever i åldrarna 15 till 19 år användes för metodvägledning inför studiens genomförande.   Reliabiliteten undersöktes med estimering av intern konsistens med Cronbachs α i normgrupp samt temporal stabilitet med ICC och Cohens k i test-retestgrupp. För att erhålla evidens för kriterievaliditet användes robust enkel regressionsanalys för att undersöka huruvida antalet traumahändelser kunde predicera symtomutfall.  För att erhålla evidens för konvergent och diskriminant validitet beräknades Pearsons r mellan CATS symtomskala och de sex subskalorna i Trauma Symtom Checklist for Children (TSCC). Cramérs V användes för evidensprövning av konvergent validitet mellan CATS skala för traumahistorik och LYLES.  Evidens för validitet undersöktes även med analys av formulärets interna struktur med konfirmatorisk faktoranalys (CFA) utifrån DSM-5s fyrfaktormodell för PTSD. CFA utfördes med estimeringsmetoden bootstrap Maximum-likelihood till följd av bristfällig uni- och multivariat normalitet. Oberoende t-test användes för att undersöka eventuella gruppskillnader avseende traumahistorik och traumasymtom uppmätt med CATS.   CATS symtomskala uppvisade god intern konsistens på samtliga fyra subskalor (Cronbachs α = .73-.89) och moderat temporal stabilitet (ICC = .57-.68). Temporal stabilitet för CATS totalskala för traumahistorik var god (ICC = .84) och sett till varje item var överensstämmelsen mellan test- och retestmätningar varierande från liten till nästintill perfekt (k = .34-.87). Robust enkel regressionsanalys påvisade att antalet traumahändelser predicerar symtomutfall där 32% av variansen i symtomuttryck kunde härledas till antalet traumahändelser. Måttliga till starka korrelationer återfanns mellan CATS symtomskala och TSCC symtomskalor med starkast korrelation med subskalan posttraumatisk stress (r = .82) och svagast korrelation med subskalan för sexuella bekymmer (r = .44). CATS skala för traumahistorik korrelerade måttligt med LYLES (V = .45).  DSM-5s fyrfaktormodell för PTSD indikerade god passform, reliabilitet och konvergent validitet. Modellen uppvisade bristande intern diskriminant validitet vilket kunde förklaras med prövning av en second-ordermodell med PTSD som högre ordnad faktor.