Amprolium-induced thiamine deficiency in mice: evaluation of a practical model by oral administration

Thiamine is an essential cofactor for several cellular functions. Your deficiency results in important neurological disorders, with mechanisms and lesions not fully understood. The purpose of this work was to evaluate a thiamine deficiency through the model of oral administration of amprolium in mice. The animals, treated for 20 or 80 days, received amprolium in drinking water at doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg/mL (deficient groups A, B, and C, respectively). Deficient groups A and B showed reduction in body weight gain and performance changes in the open field (decreased distance and rearing, and increased grooming) and rotarod (reduced latency to fall) behavioural tests, when treated for 80 days. However, no histological changes were observed in the central nervous system. Moreover, group B animals exposed to amprolium developed proteinuria, with moderate tubular nephrosis, at 80 days. At the highest dose (group C) there was no interest to drink water. The data suggest that the use of oral amprolium in mice may be an interesting and viable model, when using adequate exposure times and doses. The amprolium induces thiamine deficiency progressively and moderately, which may be potentially useful for disturbed pathogenesis studies.(AU)

Deaths of Cows During Long Distance Transportation to the Slaughterhouse. Changes on Histopathological Examination, Muscle and Liver Glycogen Storage and Muscle pH

The present experiment aimed to perform histopathological, muscle and liver glycogen and muscle pH analyses ofcows dead during transportation, and submitted to necropsy in slaughterhouses inspected by Federal Agencies, in Araguaína– TO, Brazil, from January to July 2013. Six affected animals dead during transportation and submitted to necropsyconstituted the Experimental Group (EG); a Control Group (CG), was composed by 6 cows slaughtered ordinarily followingthe slaughter flow. Gross and histopathological evaluations were accomplished only on EG. The main gross lesionsobserved at necropsy were extensive subcutaneous and muscle hemorrhage and hematomas, interstitial (83.3% of cases) andalveolar (66.6% of cases) lung emphysema, lung congestion (66.6% of cases) and edema (16.6% of cases), kidney (83.3%of cases) and liver congestion (16.6% of cases). On histopathological evaluation, the lungs showed interstitial (100% ofcases) and alveolar emphysema (66.6% of cases), congestion (66.6% of cases), edema (16.6% of cases) and blood aspiration(16.6% of cases). Renal congestion (83.3% of cases), hyaline casts (50% of cases) and tubular degeneration were thekidneys changes (16.6% of cases). Rarefaction of the white pulp (66.6% of cases), red pulp (66.6% of cases) andhemosiderin (16.6% of cases) were detected on spleen. The hepatocytes showed turve and finely vacuolyzed cytoplasm(lace-like aspect) possibly caused by a reduction on glycogen (50% of cases) and congestion (16.6% of cases). Autholysiswas observed on 50% of the livers and 16.6% of the spleens and kidneys. The animals from the EG presented higher meanof degenerate muscle fibers. The intercostal muscle was more affected when compared with other muscles on the samegroup. Muscle pH values were higher on EG than on CG. Differently, glycogen average values were similar between groups(EG 58.97 µmol/g and CG 57.05 µmol/g)[...]

Deaths of Cows During Long Distance Transportation to the Slaughterhouse. Changes on Histopathological Examination, Muscle and Liver Glycogen Storage and Muscle pH

The present experiment aimed to perform histopathological, muscle and liver glycogen and muscle pH analyses ofcows dead during transportation, and submitted to necropsy in slaughterhouses inspected by Federal Agencies, in AraguaínaTO, Brazil, from January to July 2013. Six affected animals dead during transportation and submitted to necropsyconstituted the Experimental Group (EG); a Control Group (CG), was composed by 6 cows slaughtered ordinarily followingthe slaughter flow. Gross and histopathological evaluations were accomplished only on EG. The main gross lesionsobserved at necropsy were extensive subcutaneous and muscle hemorrhage and hematomas, interstitial (83.3% of cases) andalveolar (66.6% of cases) lung emphysema, lung congestion (66.6% of cases) and edema (16.6% of cases), kidney (83.3%of cases) and liver congestion (16.6% of cases). On histopathological evaluation, the lungs showed interstitial (100% ofcases) and alveolar emphysema (66.6% of cases), congestion (66.6% of cases), edema (16.6% of cases) and blood aspiration(16.6% of cases). Renal congestion (83.3% of cases), hyaline casts (50% of cases) and tubular degeneration were thekidneys changes (16.6% of cases). Rarefaction of the white pulp (66.6% of cases), red pulp (66.6% of cases) andhemosiderin (16.6% of cases) were detected on spleen. The hepatocytes showed turve and finely vacuolyzed cytoplasm(lace-like aspect) possibly caused by a reduction on glycogen (50% of cases) and congestion (16.6% of cases). Autholysiswas observed on 50% of the livers and 16.6% of the spleens and kidneys. The animals from the EG presented higher meanof degenerate muscle fibers. The intercostal muscle was more affected when compared with other muscles on the samegroup. Muscle pH values were higher on EG than on CG. Differently, glycogen average values were similar between groups(EG 58.97 µmol/g and CG 57.05 µmol/g)[...](AU)

Bone and brain lesions in horses following euthanasia with fire gun

Fire gun euthanasia is a widely used method on Equine Infectious Anemia positive horses in Brazil. Death occurs by massive destruction of brain tissue and the degree of damage depends on the gun, projectile, and shooting precision. Cranial bone lesions of eight horses euthanized and brain lesions on two of those animals were evaluated. This study aimed to verify the applicability and efficiency of the method and to check the lesions features, with emphasis on fatal ones, found mainly in frontal, sphenoid and occipital bones, and on cerebral hemispheres, thalamus, hypothalamus, and brain stem. Difficulties in applying the method for grouped animals were identified. Injuries that caused immediate stunning were related to only one shot and the gun and ammunition used were effective for the purpose.

Bone and brain lesions in horses following euthanasia with fire gun

Fire gun euthanasia is a widely used method on Equine Infectious Anemia positive horses in Brazil. Death occurs by massive destruction of brain tissue and the degree of damage depends on the gun, projectile, and shooting precision. Cranial bone lesions of eight horses euthanized and brain lesions on two of those animals were evaluated. This study aimed to verify the applicability and efficiency of the method and to check the lesions features, with emphasis on fatal ones, found mainly in frontal, sphenoid and occipital bones, and on cerebral hemispheres, thalamus, hypothalamus, and brain stem. Difficulties in applying the method for grouped animals were identified. Injuries that caused immediate stunning were related to only one shot and the gun and ammunition used were effective for the purpose.(AU)