3D Reconstruction and Evaluation of Accessory Hepatic Veins in Right Hemilivers in Laboratory Animals by Metrotomography: Implications for Surgery.

BACKGROUND The current study investigated the detection of accessory hepatic veins and their vascular territories in the right hemiliver in rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits, which has become a prerequisite for newly developed clinical procedures. We compared the anatomical continuity of accessory hepatic veins with accessory hepatic veins existing in human livers. MATERIAL AND METHODS The analysis of accessory hepatic veins was performed using a corrosion cast method in combination with computer tomography (CT). RESULTS In normal livers, accessory hepatic veins were regularly found. The length of these veins was 0.88±0.29 (cm ±SD) in rats, 1.10±0.39 in guinea pigs, and 1.28±0.48 in rabbits. Accessory hepatic veins became a part of the draining vessel draining into segment VI and VII; represented by interpolating and following Chouinard's segmental concept. CONCLUSIONS The importance of detecting accessory hepatic veins lies in the identification of structures requiring special attention during surgery, in reduction of surgical complications, and in choosing the best approach to maintain the vitality of a drainage segment. The vascular reconstruction should be done during surgical interventions.

Serologic Survey of Selected Viral Pathogens in Free-Ranging Eurasian Brown Bears ( Ursus arctos arctos) from Slovakia.

We tested sera of 24 free-ranging European brown bears ( Ursus arctos) from six regions of Slovakia for antibodies to 10 viral agents. We tested sera by an indirect fluorescence antibody test for antibodies to canine distemper virus (CDV), canine coronavirus (CCV), canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus type 2 (CPIV-2), and canine herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1). We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to hepatitis E virus, bluetongue virus, West Nile virus (WNV), and Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV). We detected antibodies to CDV, CHV-1, CPV-2, CPIV-2, CCV, WNV, and ADV in seven (29%), three (12%), two (8%), two (8%), one (4%), one (4%), and one (4%) bear, respectively. Evidence of exposure of free-ranging European brown bears to CCV and ADV has not been reported.

Factors affecting storage of Slovak native rabbit semen in the gene bank.

In this study, fresh and frozen-thawed semen of Nitra and Zobor rabbit breeds were evaluated for potential inter-breed or inter-male differences in sperm quality traits. Individual male semen from four rabbits of each breed were diluted (v:v; 1:1) in a freezing medium composed of a commercial diluent, 16% of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), 4% of Ficoll 70 and 2% of sucrose and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapours before being plunged into liquid nitrogen. Different motility traits, viability and plasma membrane integrity of fresh and frozen-thawed semen were evaluated in vitro using computer-assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry. To evaluate the sperm fertilization ability, artificial insemination of fresh and frozen-thawed sperm was performed. Our results showed the effect of breed (P ≤ 0.05) on frozen-thawed sperm viability and plasma membrane integrity. Moreover, individual variability in semen quality among the rabbits was revealed (0.31 to 0.71 among quality traits). Our results thereby confirmed that the cryopreservation procedure could not ensure comparable sperm post-thaw survival for different breeds or males. Nevertheless, correlations between numbers of fresh total motile and progressively moving sperm and several quality parameters measured post thawing were revealed. Therefore, we suggest that the objective assessment of fresh rabbit sperm motility may be an effective indicator of frozen-thawed semen quality. Consequently, regular semen assessment is required in order to preserve good-quality insemination doses from native breeds.

Orbital venous pattern in relation to extraorbital venous drainage and superficial lymphatic vessels in rats.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the normal and variant anatomy of extraorbital and intraorbital venous drainage together with retroorbital communication, and determine the lymphatic drainage from the superficial orbital region with a potential outlet of lymphatic vessel into the venous bloodstream. The study of the venous system was carried out on 32 Wistar rats by using corrosion casts methods and radiography, while the lymphatic system was studied in 12 Wistar rats following ink injection. Superficially, orbital veins are connected with extraorbital veins running through angular vein of the eye and the superficial temporal vein, and via the pterygoid plexus with the maxillary vein, which provide readily accessible communication routes in the spread of infection. The extent of intraorbital and periorbital venous drainage was ensured by the dorsal and ventral external ophthalmic vein through the infraorbital vein, which together formed the principal part of the ophthalmic plexus. Venous drainage of the eyeball was carried out mainly by the vortex veins, ciliary veins and internal ophthalmic vein. The highest variability, first presented by differences in structural arrangement and formation of anastomoses, was observed within the ventral external ophthalmic vein (22 cases) and the medial vortex vein (10 cases). Four vortex veins, one vein in each quadrant of the eye, were observed in rats. The vortex vein located on the ventral side of the eyeball was occasionally found as two veins (in four cases) in the present study. The lymphatic vessel from the lower eyelid entered into the mandibular lymph centre, and from the upper eyelid entered into the superficial cervical lymph centre, but both drained into the deep cranial cervical lymph node. The direct entry of lymph entering the veins without passing through lymph nodes was not observed.

Blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in the laboratory mouse using corrosion and dissection techniques.

Mice are used frequently as experimental models in the study of ischemic spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to describe the arterial blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in the mouse. The study was carried out on 20 adult mice using the corrosion and dissection technique. Dorsal intercostal arteries were found as branches of the thoracic aorta: as 7 pairs in 80% of cases, as 8 pairs in 15% of cases and as 9 pairs in 5% of cases. The paired lumbar arteries arising from the abdominal aorta were present as 5 pairs in all cases. Along the entire thoracic and lumbar spinal regions, we observed left-sided branches entering the ventral spinal artery in 64.2% and right-sided branches in 35.8% of cases. Along the entire thoracic and lumbar spinal regions, the branches entering the dorsal spinal arteries were left-sided in 60.8% of cases and right-sided in 39.2% of cases. We found some variations in the site of origin of the artery of Adamkiewicz and in the number of dorsal spinal arteries. Documenting the anatomical variations in spinal cord blood supply in the laboratory mouse will aid the planning of future experimental studies and in determining the clinical relevance of such studies.

Anatomical study of the arterial blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in guinea pig.

Guinea pigs are frequently used as experimental models in studies of ischemic spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to describe the arterial blood supply to the thoracolumbar spinal cord in 20 adult English self guinea pigs using the corrosion and dissection techniques. The dorsal intercostal arteries arising from the dorsal surface of the thoracic aorta were found as follows: in eight pairs in 70% of cases, in seven pairs in 20% of cases and in nine pairs in 10% of cases. Paired lumbar arteries were present as seven pairs in all the cases. The occurrence of the ventral and dorsal branches of the spinal rami observed in the thoracic and lumbar region was higher on the left than on the right. The artery of Adamkiewicz was present in 60% of cases as a single vessel and in 40% of cases as a double vessel. On the dorsal surface of the spinal cord, we found two dorsal spinal arteries in 60% of cases and three in 40% of cases. The presence of the artery of Adamkiewicz and nearly regular segmental blood supplying the thoracolumbar part of the spinal cord in all our studied animals is the reason for using guinea pigs as a simple model of ischemic damage to the thoracolumbar part of the spinal cord.

Anatomical study of blood supply to the cervical spinal cord in the guinea pig.

The aim of this study was to describe the arterial arrangement of the cervical spinal cord in the guinea pig. The study was carried out on 20 adult English self guinea pigs using corrosion and dissection technique. Batson's corrosion casting kit no. 17(©) was used as a casting medium. The origin of the ventral spinal artery from the left vertebral artery was found on average in 35% of the cases and from the right vertebral artery on average in 40% of the cases. The ventral spinal artery with origin from the anastomosis of two medial branches was found on average in 25% of the cases. The presence of ventral radicular branches of rami spinales entering the ventral spinal artery in the cervical region was observed in 42% of the cases on the right side and in 58% of the cases on the left side. The presence of dorsal radicular branches of rami spinales that reached the spinal cord was observed in 63% of the cases on the left side and in 37% of the cases on the right side. The number of radicular branches supplying the spinal cord is greater in guinea pig than in humans.