Endoscopic assisted orchiectomy in Herman's tortoises (Testudo hermanni sp.).

OBJECTIVE: Male tortoises in captivity are often aggressive against other males or females, in particular during mating season related to hormonal influences (testosterone). Castration in males is the treatment of choice in many vertebrate species. A novel technique of minimal invasive castration is presented for Herman's tortoises (Testudo hermanni). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The procedure was performed in ten mature males. An endoscope (2.7 mm/30° angled) was inserted into a prefemoral incision on each side. The testicle was resected after ligation of the gubernaculum testis and the spermatic cord using hemoclips. RESULTS: Each testicle could be removed in approximately 20 minutes. Complications like hemorrhage or damage of adjacent tissue did not occur and all animals recovered uneventfully. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Using the bilateral prefemoral entrance offers an alternative option for orchiectomy in Herman's tortoises without dissection of the shell. Thus complications like hemorrhage or impaired wound healing followed by sequestration of the bone flap are prevented. Because of the anatomical settings and the risk of tissue damage and time consumption, a unilateral approach is not recommended. Fasting the animals is necessary due to the voluminous gastrointestinal tract of this herbivorous tortoise and emptying the urinary bladder provides more space for manipulations in the coelomic cavity and prevents clipping and cutting of adjacent organs. The magnification via the endoscope is beneficial for orientation in the coelomic cavity, which is formed by the extremely convex carapace. Without this equipment it is challenging to visualize the dorsocaudally located gonads through the relatively small incision and the inserted instruments might block the view at the surgical field. Administration of hemoclips achieved a good hemostasis and the testicles could be resected without major blood loss. The described technique is a gentle method for resection of the testicles in this species and can be adapted to other European tortoise species of equal size.

Dairy product analysis: identification of microorganisms by mid-infrared spectroscopy and determination of constituents by Raman spectroscopy.

Identification of microorganisms by traditional microbiological methods is time consuming. The German Federal Health Office has developed a method using mid-infrared spectroscopy to identify microorganisms rapidly. This method has been modified for application to microorganisms important in the dairy industry. Mid- and near-infrared spectroscopies are well-established methods for quantitative measurements of fat, protein, lactose, and solid content in a variety of products. A disadvantage of both methods is the huge absorption due to water; extraction of other components is complicated and can be achieved only statistically. With Raman spectroscopy, water causes less absorption. We investigated the use of Raman spectroscopy as a quantitative method for milk powder.

[Deconvolution of infrared spectra using various milk proteins as an example]. / Deconvolution am Beispiel von Infrarotspektren verschiedener Milcheiweissstoffe.

The theory of deconvolution of infra-red spectra is presented and illustrated using milk protein spectra. The advantage of this method is impressively demonstrated and its relevance for dairy farming shown using a simple example, the cooling of milk.

Rapid affinity purification of retinal arrestin (48 kDa protein) via its light-dependent binding to phosphorylated rhodopsin.

Arrestin (also named '48 kDa protein' or 'S-antigen') is a soluble protein involved in controlling light-dependent cGMP phosphodiesterase activity in retinal rods, and is also known for its ability to induce autoimmune uveitis of the eye. We report a rapid and simple purification method based on the property of arrestin to bind specifically and reversibly to illuminated and phosphorylated rhodopsin [(1984) FEBS Lett. 176, 473-478]. This method does not require column chromatography and yields about 2-4 mg purified arrestin from 15 bovine retinas. Pure arrestin can be resolved by isoelectric focusing into at least 10 distinct bands, all of which stain with a monoclonal antibody specific for S-antigen.