ABSTRACT
Background: With the increasing incidence of renal transplantations and advent of modern imaging techniques in the current era, the knowledge of renal artery variations in their position of origin from abdominal aorta, level of origin from the superior mesenteric artery, pattern of their division towards the renal hilum, and the additional branches from the renal arteries should be well known for preparing renovascular surgical and radiological interventions. Methods: Fifty specimens from 25 adult human embalmed cadavers were taken from the department of anatomy and were studied by dissection method. Morphometric data of the specimens dissected were recorded using vernier calipers. Results: Though morphometric analysis of both the kidneys was studied, it shows no significance from earlier studies. Accessory renal arteries were noted in 24% of cases with equal incidence on both sides. Within accessory, hilar type was most common (14%), followed by inferior polar in 12% and superior polar in 2% of specimens. Accessories in 28.5% specimens gave rise to gonadal arteries and 7.3% specimens to inferior phrenic artery. Conclusion: The results suggest that there are a large number of anatomical variations in the vascularisation of the kidney. The most common incidence is the occurrence of accessory renal arteries. It was rarely found that superior and inferior polar arteries originated from the renal artery. The renal artery diameter is a factor which should be considered as predicting the presence of additional renal arteries.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To determine the impact of seasonal variations on health indices of free-ranging asymptomatic guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) in Zambia.@*METHODS@#A time series analysis was carried out on a prospective cohort study over a 12 month period between March 2010 and February 2011 by examining a total 147 guinea fowls for haematological and morphometric data of selected organs.@*RESULTS@#There was a strong correlation in erythrocytic indices between packed cell volume and red blood cell counts (=0.824, P<0.001) as well as between packed cell volume and hemoglobulin (Hb) counts (r=0.648, P<0.001). Seasonal differences showed that erythrocytic indices were higher in the males than the females and that the difference was significantly higher (P<0.001) during the rainy season, which coincided with the breeding period when females were laying eggs. Increase in total plasma protein was positively correlated with overall body weight. Generally, females had higher body weights and total plasma protein levels than the males in the rain season. Of the 147 birds examined, 51% (n=147) had the bursa of Fabricius. For birds that had the bursa of Fabricius, the weights of bursae were higher (P<0.05) in the cold-dry season than the other seasons and no sex differences were observed. Spleen morphometric data did not show any seasonal nor sex differences.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Overall, data presented herein demonstrate that seasonal variations have a significant influence on health indices of free-ranging guinea fowls and that these factors could influence the susceptibility of this species of birds to disease infections at different times of the year.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the impact of seasonal variations on health indices of free-ranging asymptomatic guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) in Zambia. Methods: A time series analysis was carried out on a prospective cohort study over a 12 month period between March 2010 and February 2011 by examining a total 147 guinea fowls for haematological and morphometric data of selected organs. Results: There was a strong correlation in erythrocytic indices between packed cell volume and red blood cell counts (=0.824, P<0.001) as well as between packed cell volume and hemoglobulin (Hb) counts (r=0.648, P<0.001). Seasonal differences showed that erythrocytic indices were higher in the males than the females and that the difference was significantly higher (P<0.001) during the rainy season, which coincided with the breeding period when females were laying eggs. Increase in total plasma protein was positively correlated with overall body weight. Generally, females had higher body weights and total plasma protein levels than the males in the rain season. Of the 147 birds examined, 51% (n=147) had the bursa of Fabricius. For birds that had the bursa of Fabricius, the weights of bursae were higher (P<0.05) in the cold-dry season than the other seasons and no sex differences were observed. Spleen morphometric data did not show any seasonal nor sex differences. Conclusions: Overall, data presented herein demonstrate that seasonal variations have a significant influence on health indices of free-ranging guinea fowls and that these factors could influence the susceptibility of this species of birds to disease infections at different times of the year.
ABSTRACT
Neste estudo diferenças expressivas foram observadas na estrutura dos ductos eferentes distais (DED) de codorna doméstica Coturnix coturnix, da variedade italiana, mantida em cativeiro experimental durante dois anos, durante as quatro estações do ano. A variabilidade morfológica dos DED foi mais marcante na primavera e no outono, eqüivalendo às fases ativa e quiescente do ciclo reprodutivo anual (ciclo testicular) nesta ave. Nessas fases do ciclo, diferenças significativas foram observadas na ultraestrutura das células principais (P) e ciliadas (C) do epitélio de revestimento tubular e nos calibres tubulares. Estes tiveram valores médios maiores na primavera, com valores similares no verão e no inverno, e valores médios menores observados no outono. Na primavera, no citoplasma apical de células P, notou-se maior complexidade organelar, inferindo-se a ocorrência de processos endocitóticos ativos. A quiescência outonal caracterizou-se por redução do calibre tubular dos DED, luz tubular vazia de espermatozóides, degenerações de organelas citoplasmáticas e "debridamentos" citoplasmáticos apicais em células P e C. No inverno e verão, correspondentes às fases recrudescente e regressiva, respectivamente, do ciclo testicular nesta espécie, os dados obtidos foram, de modo geral, similares aos observados na primavera.
Some expressive differences were noted on the distal efferent ducts (DED) morphology in domestic quail of the Italian variety along the year. The birds were maintained on experimental captive breeding along two consecutive years, before the morphologic studies. Morphologic differences on the DED had been more evident in spring and autumn respectively, the active and quiescent phases of the annual testis cycle. Variability more expressive was noted among the principal (P) and ciliated (C) epithelial cells and in tubular diameters of DED, during the two focused seasons. Spring features of DED were marked by relative enlargement of the passageways, with similar results in summer and winter, and characteristic organelle development on the apical cytoplasm of P cells, allowing to conclude presence of active process of endocytosis. Autumn quiescence was marked by an enfolding pattern of all the tubular passageways, lacking of spermatozoa and small amount of heterogeneous material inside their luminal compartments, followed by presence of ultrastructural degenerative features in apical cytoplasm of P cells and C cells in DED passageways. Tubular features verified in DED during winter and summer were minor and similar to those described in spring. Summer and winter were respectively considered the recrudescent and regressive phases of the testis cycle in these species, based on the spermatogenesis cycle analysed in all the seasons of the year as well as on the base the morphologic features here found.