Sedation or anaesthesia decrease the stress response to electroejaculation and improve the quality of the collected semen in goat bucks.

Electroejaculation (EE) is stressful and probably painful; thus the administration of anaesthesia is recommended to decrease those negative effects. However, anaesthesia has a direct risk of provoking death, but sedation is less risky than anaesthesia. At the same time, α2-adrenergic agonists may improve semen quality. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the physiological and behavioural responses indicative of stress and possibly pain, and the semen quality in electroejaculated untreated, anaesthetised or sedated goat bucks. Semen was collected from eight bucks using three different procedures in all them (EE in untreated bucks, EE under sedation or EE under general anaesthesia). The number of vocalizations during EE and the behavioural pattern before and after procedures were recorded. Pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score was also determined during EE. Rectal temperature, heart rate, serum cortisol concentration, biochemical and haematological parameters were measured before and after each procedure, and sperm characteristics were determined. Bucks vocalised more often when untreated than sedated or anaesthetised (P<0.02). The pain VAS score was greater when bucks were untreated than sedated or anaesthetised (P<0.002). The rectal temperature, heart rate, total protein, albumin and haemoglobin concentrations were greater when bucks were untreated than anaesthetised or sedated (P<0.02). Serum cortisol increased after EE (P=0.0006), without differences between procedures. The frequency and duration of lying down after EE were greater when bucks were anaesthetised than sedated or untreated (P<0.05), and were also greater when bucks were sedated than untreated (P<0.05). The number of times that the animal tried to stand up after EE was greater when bucks were anaesthetised than sedated or untreated (P<0.02). The sperm mass motility was greater when bucks were anaesthetised or sedated than when they were untreated (P=0.048). When animals were sedated, the ejaculate contained more spermatozoa with functional plasma membrane (P=0.03) and morphologically normal (P=0.05) than when they were untreated. In conclusion, general anaesthesia and sedation decreased the stress and probably the pain response provoked by EE and especially sedation improved the quality of the semen collected.

Subtropical goats ovulate in response to the male effect after a prolonged treatment of artificial long days to stimulate their milk yield.

The objectives of this study were to determine (i) if in subtropical goats that gave birth during mid-December, the exposition to an artificial long-day photoperiod consisting in only 14 hr of light per day can increase the milk yield and (ii) to test whether these females can respond to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment. In experiment 1, 17 lactating goats were maintained under natural short days (control group), while another 22 goats were maintained under artificial long days (treated group) consisting in 14 hr light and 10 hr darkness starting at day 10 of lactation. The continuous exposition to an artificial long-day photoperiod produced an increase in the milk yield level during the first 110 days of lactation (time × treatment interaction; p = .01), while none of the milk components were modified due to the photoperiodic treatment (p > .05). In experiment 2, all control and treated anovulatory goats were submitted to the male effect using photostimulated males. All females showed oestrous behaviour within the first 10 days that were in contact with males (100% in both groups; p > .05). Thus, the latency to onset of oestrus did not differ between females from control (58.2 ± 3.0 hr) and treated (62 ± 4.6 hr) groups. Male exposition provoked ovulation independently if females were previously under long days or natural photoperiod (96 vs 100%, respectively; p = .79). It was concluded that exposure to 14 hr of light per day in subtropical goats that gave birth in late autumn stimulates milk yield without preventing the ovulation in response to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment.

Persistent environmental pollutants in eggs of aplomado falcons from Northern Chihuahua, Mexico, and south Texas, USA.

The northern aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) disappeared from south Texas in the 1940s. Due to great success in the release of captive-reared aplomado falcons in south Texas, there are currently more than 40 established nesting pairs in the region. Addled eggs from aplomado falcons nesting in northern Chihuahua and south Texas were analyzed to determine organochlorine (OC) and inorganic element contaminant burdens and their potential association with egg failures and effects on reproduction. Among the OCs, DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene] was present at the highest concentrations (range 262-21487 ng/g wet weight) followed by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, range 88-3274 ng/g ww). DDE was greater (P=0.03) in eggs from El Sueco (Chihuahua, Mexico) than in those from Matagorda Island (Texas, USA). DDE concentrations in eggs of aplomado falcons from El Sueco were elevated; however, reproductive success in the two Chihuahuan populations did not seem to be affected by DDE. DDE and metals in potential avian prey of the aplomado falcon from Matagorda Island were very low and below levels in the diet at which some negative effects might be expected. Except for mercury (Hg), metal concentrations in eggs were fairly low and were not different among locations in Chihuahua and south Texas. Hg was somewhat elevated and was greater (P<0.001) in Texas than in the Chihuahua locations. Periodic monitoring of Hg concentrations in addled eggs of aplomado falcons in south Texas is recommended to continue evaluating potential negative effects on their recovery.

Estudios sobre la acción antiviral de Opuntia soehrensii ¿Actividad protectora de la infección por HSV? / Studies on the action antiviral of Opuntia soehrensii protective Activity of the infection by HSV?

Opuntia soehrensii (Osp) planta empleada por la medicina tradicional andina, ha mostrado en estudios previos tener actividad protectora de la infección causada por el virus Herpes simplex. En este trabajo se definieron las condiciones y el mecanismo por los que se evidencia este efecto. Osp mostro actividad de protección antiviral óptima a 48 horas de exposición.

Virus de la Hepatitis A (HAV): Evaluación de la incidencia y prevalencia de infecciones agudas mediante la detección de Marcadores Serológicos / Hepatitis A virus (HAV): evaluation of the incidence and prevalence of acute infections through the detection of sexological markers

La hepatitis A es una enfermedad inflamatoria necrosante de tipo agudo, que se presenta como consecuencia de una infección por este virus. El presente estudio evaluó la incidencia y prevalencia de esta patología mediante la detección de marcadores serológicos específicos por medio del Ensayo Inmunoenzimático (EIA), en una población con diagnóstico clínico de hepatitis viral aguda.

Obtención de un sustrato antigénico de virus de herpes simplex en cultivo celular para su empleo como reactante en procedimientos inmunológicos / Obtaining of a sustrato antigénico of virus of herpes simplex in cultivation cellular for their employment as reactant in immunologic procedures

Los virus Herpes simplex pueden causar infecciones que requieren tratamiento a lo largo de la vida. Pueden causar infecciones severas del sistema nervioso central que pueden agravarse en individuos inmunocomprometidos y recién nacidos. Estudios de prevalencia de esta infección y su importancia en nuestro medio aun no han sido encarados, probablemente por el costo de los reactivos. El presente trabajo reporta la obtención y evaluación de un sustrato antigénico, obtenido a partir de cepas nativas de herpes simplex en línea celular BHK-21, para detectar anticuerpos antivirales específicos en muestras séricas. El sustrato fue evaluado por el ensayo de Inmunofluorescencia indirecta, los resultados fueron considerados empleando parámetros biológicos y estadísticos de validación en comparación con el ensayo Inmunoensimático del 77 por ciento, especificidad de 75 por ciento, capacidad prara predecir resultados positivos del 83 por ciento y de resultados negativos del 75 por ciento; además de buena reproducibilidad y respetibilidad del ensayo. La validación del ensayo permitirá contar con una técnica alternativa y de bajo costo que facilite el acceso al diagnóstico y el estudio de la prevalencia de infección por este virus en muestro medio.

Diagnóstico molecular de infecciones virales: accesible o aún debemos esperar? / Diagnostic molecular of viral infections: accessible or we still should to wait?

En la pasada década la amplificación de secuencias nucleicas fue dearrollada como una herramienta de investigación. En la actualidad estos procedimientos son reportados en la detección y monitoreo de varias patologías, entre ellas las enfermedades causadas por virus. La presente revisión, examina la aplicación de estas técnicas en el diagnóstico de las enfermedades virales, asimismo discute sus ventajas y limitaciones en coparación con procedimientos convencionales.

Infecciones respiratorias causadas por Virus Sincitial respiratorio: Estudio de casos / Respiratory infections caused by respiratory Sincitial Virus: Study of cases

El diagnóstico de infecciones respiratorias virales en nuestro medio es básicamente clínico debido al acceso limitado y relativa complejidad de los procedimientos de diagnóstico virológico. El presente trabajo reporta el diagnóstico de infección por VRS en tres pacientes menores a 2 años de edad con diagnóstico inicial de infección respiratoria aguda y fracaso terapéutico al uso de antibióticos de amplio espectro. El diagnóstico fue realizado mediante aislamiento y cultivo del virus en sistemas de cultivo celular ja vitre, a partir de secreciones nasofaringeas. El aislamiento de VRS fue confirmado por detección de antígenos virales por inmunofluorescencia directa, utilizando anticuerpos monoclonales anti-VRS. Este tipo de procedimientos nos permitirá profundizar en el estudio de enfermedades respiratorias causadas por VRS, su adecuado diagnóstico y la adopción de un tratamiento apropiado y oportuno para el niño

Contribucion al diagnostico de infecciones herpeticas: Establecimiento de condiciones para el aislamiento viral en vitro / Contribution to I diagnose herpeticas deinfecciones: Establishment of conditions for the viral isolation in vitro

La heterogénea respuesta clínica a la infección por HSV, tanto en pacientes inmunocomprometidos como en huéspedes inmunocompetentes, plantea el uso de ensayos de laboratorio de modo óptimo para el diagnóstico apropiado y control oportuno de esta enfermedad. Para esto, en la práctica se cuenta con ensayos inmunoenzimáticos, moleculares y de aislamiento viral. siendo este último el ensayo de referencia para un diagnóstico definitivo. El virus del herpes replica fácilmente in vitro en varios cultivos celulares estandard (células de riñón de cobayo, de pulmón de visón, de riñón de mono, y fibroblastos humanos) y, en 1 a 4 días se pueden observar efectos citopáticos característicos. El presente trabajo reporta la replicación activa y eficiente del HSV en lineas celulares HeLa y BHK-21 (Células de carcinoma cervical humano y células de riñón de hamster sirio, respectivamente). Inicialmente, se evaluó la biología de las líneas celulares bajo las condiciones de laboratorio (tiempo de duplicación celular, poblacional,etc). Ls datos obtenidos fueron la base para diseñar el protocolo de aislamiento viral. La susceptibilidad celular a la infección viral fue examinada utilizando muestras de herpes ocular. Las condiciones de muestreo y de transporte fueron optimizadas. El proceso de infección fué facilitado por un periodo de absorción y centrifugación inicial. La infección activa se evidenció a las 17 horas mediante observación de efectos citopáticos y a las 48 horas por determinación de antígenos virales por Inmunofluorescencia Indirecta. El ensayo podría determinar una infección activa por Herpes en corto periodo de tiempo, contribuyendo así a la identificación de este virus como agente causal de la enfermedad

Do ewes recognize their lambs within the first day postpartum without the help of olfactory cues?

Two studies were carried out to test the ability of Préalpes du Sud x Lacaune (Study 1) and Rambouillet ewes (Study 2) to recognize their lambs during the first 24 h postpartum. Ewes were given the choice between their own and an alien lamb of approximately the same age, in a triangular pen of 10 m×10 m×10 m. A lamb was placed in each of the two corners while the mother was released from the third corner. Direct access to the lambs was prevented by an open barrier located at 1 m from the pens in which the lambs were kept. Ewes were studied at 8 h (n=10, 12), 12 h (n=20, 10) and 24 h postpartum (n=29, 9; Study 1 and Study 2 respectively). Tests lasted 3 and 5 min in Study 1 and 2, respectively. Although the first choice of the ewes did not differ from random, in both studies mothers spent significantly more time near their own lamb than near the alien. In both breeds a significant preference for the own lamb was already present at 8 h (P<0.05). We conclude that ewes are very likely to recognize their lamb without the aid of olfactory cues as early as 8 h postpartum, which is much sooner than thought from previous studies.