Methionine supplementing effects on intestine, liver and uterus morphology, and on positivity and expression of Calbindin-D28k and TRPV6 epithelial calcium carriers in laying quail in thermoneutral conditions and under thermal stress.

This study aimed to provide the performance, localization and expression of the epithelial calcium transporter channels Calbindin-D28k (Calb) and TRPV6, and of the morphology of the digestive and reproductive system of laying quail under heat stress (HS), and with methionine supplementation (MS). This study characterized the positivity (immunohistochemistry) and expression (real-time PCR) of calcium channels in the kidneys, intestine and uterus of 504 laying quails under different MS (100, 110 and 120%) and temperatures (20, 24, 28 and 32°C). The animals under HS (32°C) had lower villus height, villus:crypt ratio, and goblet cell index in the duodenum and jejunum, fewer secondary and tertiary uterine folds, smaller hepatic steatosis, and increased number of distal convoluted renal tubules (CT) positive to Calb, and increased positivity in proximal CTs. Deleterious effects of HS were minimized with MS for: duodenal crypts, number of goblet cells of the jejunum, number of uterine folds, decreased Calb positivity in intestines and kidney, increased positivity of Calb in the uterus and increased TRPV6 gene expression in the kidney (P≤0.05). Epithelial calcium transporters were altered due to less need for calcium absorption and reabsorption due to more calcium available with the MS, increasing egg production in HS and quality in termoneutrality (P≤0.05). MS further increased intestinal villus absorption area and height, increased steatosis, decreased Calb positivity in the intestine and kidney, increased uterine positivity of Calb, and increase Calb and TRPV6 expression in the kidney (P≤0.001) under thermoneutrality. It was concluded that the use of MS (120%) is justifiable in order to partially reverse the deleterious effects of HS on the production, in the epithelial calcium carriers, and in the digestory and reproductive morphology of laying quail.

Determination of baseline values for routine ophthalmic tests in bearded capuchin (Sapajus libidinosus).

BACKGROUND: Establish baseline values for ophthalmic diagnostic tests in Sapajus libidinosus. METHODS: Ophthalmic diagnostic tests, namely Schirmer tear test 1 (STT-1), intraocular pressure (IOP), B-mode ultrasound, culture of the bacterial conjunctival microbiota, and conjunctival exfoliative cytology, were performed in 15 S. libidinosus. RESULTS: Mean values found were as follows: 2.50 ± 2.94 mm/min for the STT-1; 13.3 ± 3.32 mm Hg for the IOP; 2.47 ± 0.41 mm for the depth of the anterior chamber; 2.86 ± 0.96 mm for the axial length of the lens; 10.97 ± 0.48 mm for the depth of the vitreous chamber; and 16.32 ± 1.24 mm for the axial length of the eyeball. The bacterial genus most frequently found was Staphylococcus spp. Conjunctival cytology showed intermediate epithelial, squamous superficial epithelial, and keratinized cells. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of baseline values for eye measurements and ophthalmic tests will assist in the diagnosis of eye diseases in S. libidinosus monkeys.

Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin Modulates the Expression of Genes Related to the Structure and Function of the Bovine Corpus Luteum.

We hypothesized that stimulatory and superovulatory treatments, using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), modulate the expression of genes related to insulin, cellular modelling and angiogenesis signaling pathways in the bovine corpus luteum (CL). Therefore, we investigated: 1-the effect of these treatments on circulating insulin and somatomedin C concentrations and on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1 and IGFR1, as well as other insulin signaling molecules; 2-the effects of eCG on gene and protein expression of INSR, IGF1, GLUT4 and NFKB1A in bovine luteal cells; and 3-the effect of stimulatory and superovulatory treatments on gene and protein expression of ANG, ANGPT1, NOS2, ADM, PRSS2, MMP9 and PLAU. Serum insulin did not differ among groups (P = 0.96). However, serum somatomedin C levels were higher in both stimulated and superovulated groups compared to the control (P = 0.01). In stimulated cows, lower expression of INSR mRNA and higher expression of NFKB1A mRNA and IGF1 protein were observed. In superovulated cows, lower INSR mRNA expression, but higher INSR protein expression and higher IGF1, IGFR1 and NFKB1A gene and protein expression were observed. Expression of angiogenesis and cellular modelling pathway-related factors were as follows: ANGPT1 and PLAU protein expression were higher and MMP9 gene and protein expression were lower in stimulated animals. In superovulated cows, ANGPT1 mRNA expression was higher and ANG mRNA expression was lower. PRSS2 gene and protein expression were lower in both stimulated and superovulated animals related to the control. In vitro, eCG stimulated luteal cells P4 production as well as INSR and GLUT4 protein expression. In summary, our results suggest that superovulatory treatment induced ovarian proliferative changes accompanied by increased expression of genes providing the CL more energy substrate, whereas stimulatory treatment increased lipogenic activity, angiogenesis and plasticity of the extracellular matrix (ECM).

High Incubation Temperature and Threonine Dietary Level Improve Ileum Response Against Post-Hatch Salmonella Enteritidis Inoculation in Broiler Chicks.

This study assessed the effect of both embryonic thermal manipulation and dietary threonine level on the response of broilers inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, considering bacterial counts in the cecal contents, intestinal morphology, mucin and heat shock protein 70 gene expression, body weight and weight gain. Thermal manipulation was used from 11 days of incubation until hatch, defining three treatments: standard (37.7°C), continuous high temperature (38.7°C) and continuous low temperature (36.7°C). After hatch, chicks were distributed according to a 3x2+1 factorial arrangement (three temperatures and two threonine levels and one sham-inoculated control). At two days of age, all chicks were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, except for the sham-inoculated control group. There was no interaction between the factors on any analyses. High temperature during incubation was able to reduce colonization by Salmonella Enteritidis in the first days, reducing both Salmonella counts and the number of positive birds. It also increased mucin expression and decreased Hsp70 expression compared with other inoculated groups. High temperature during incubation and high threonine level act independently to reduce the negative effects associated to Salmonella Enteritidis infection on intestinal morphology and performance, with results similar to sham-inoculated birds. The findings open new perspectives for practical strategies towards the pre-harvest Salmonella control in the poultry industry.

Origem e distribuição dos nervos isquiáticos em caprinos da raça Saanen / Origin and distribution of the ischiatic nerves in goats of the Saanen breed

Estudaram-se a origem e distribuição dos nervos isquiáticos, de ambos os antímeros, em 30 caprinos (Capra hircus) da raça Saanen, sendo 16 machos e 14 fêmeas. Estes animais foram coletados após morte natural e submetidos à fixação em solução aquosa, a 10 por cento, de formaldeído. Os nervos isquiáticos originaram-se 28 vezes (93,3 por cento) do ramo ventral do sexto nervo espinhal lombar e dos ramos ventrais do primeiro e segundo nervos espinhais sacrais; além disso, esses nervos tabém receberam duas vezes (6,7 por cento), contribuição do ramo ventral do terceiro nervo espinhal sacral. Os nervos isquiáticos cederam, em todos os animais, ramos para os músculos glúteos médios, glúteos profundos, gluteobíceps, gêmeos, semitendíneos e semimembranáceos. Sobretudo, notaram-se arranjos peculiares desses ramos musculares para cada espécime. Através da aplicação da prova de Wilcoxon, com nível de significância de 0,05, não se observaram diferenças significativas entre as freqüências de ramos musculares dos nervos isquiáticos, que foram cedidos para os antímeros direito e esquerdo, e ainda em relação ao sexo dos caprinos da presente investigação.

The origin and distribution of the ischiatic nerves at both sides were studied in 30 goats (Capra hircus) of the Saanen breed, being 16 males and 14 females. These specimens were collected after natural death of the animals and submitted to fixation in a 10 percent formaldehyde solution. The ischiatic nerves arose from the ventral branch of the sixth lumbar and the first and second sacral spinal nerves in 28 cases (93.3 percent). In addition, these nerves also received contributions from the ventral branch of the third sacral spinal nerve in two cases (6.7 percent) at both sides. In all animals, the right and left ischiatic nerves gave off branches to the muscles gluteus medius, gluteus profundus, gluteobiceps, gemelli, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles. In particular, peculiar arrangements of these muscular branches were noticed for each specimen. By using the Wilcoxon test with significance level at 0.05, there were no significant differences among the frequencies of muscular branches of the ischiatic nerves emitted to the right and left sides, and also in relation to the sex of the goats in the present investigation.

Artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal em aves (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Cobb 500 / Cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in fowls (Gallus gallus) of the Cobb 500 lineage

Estudaram-se as origens, ramificações e distribuições das artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal em 30 aves (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Cobb 500, machos, com idade entre 5 e 6 semanas. Os espécimes tiveram seus vasos arteriais preenchidos com solução aquosa coradade Neoprene Látex “450” a 50 e a seguir foram fixados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10 . A artéria mesentérica cranial emergiu da face lateral direita da aorta descendente caudalmente à artéria celíaca e através das artérias ileocecal, jejunais e ileais distribuiu-se pelo jejuno, íleo, cecos e reto, terminando próximo ao divertículo vitelino. A artéria mesentérica caudal originou-se da face ventral da aorta descendente e após curto trajeto bifurcou-se em ramos cranial e caudal, distribuindo-se pelo reto, cloaca e bolsa cloacal. Evidenciaram-se anastomoses entre ramos da artéria mesentérica cranial e entre ramos desta e ramos das artérias mesentérica caudal e celíaca.

The origins, ramifications and distributions of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries were studied in 30 male fowls (Gallus gallus) from Cobb 500 lineage, between 5 and 6 weeks old. The arterial vases of the specimens were filled with colored water-based solution of Neoprene Latex “450” at 50 concentration after wards they were fixed in a water-based solution of formaldehyde at 10 concentration. The cranial mesenteric artery emerged from the right lateral surface of the descending aorta caudally the coeliac artery and through the ileocecal, jejunal and ileal arteries distributing itself by the jejunum, ileum, cecum and rectum to end next to the vitelline diverticulum. The caudal mesenteric artery originated from the ventral surface of the descending aorta and soon divided into cranial and caudal branches, distributed by the rectum, cloaca and cloacal bursa. There were anastomoses among branches of the cranial mesenteric artery and also among branches of the cranial mesenteric artery and branches of the caudal mesenteric and coeliac arteries.

Artérias da base do encéfalo em suínos da linhagem Camborough 22 / Arteries of the base of the encephalon in pigs from the lineage Camborough 22

As artérias da base do encéfalo foram estudadas em 40 suínos da linhagem Camborough 22, natimortos, de ambos os sexos. Destes, dez espécimes tiveram as artérias da cabeça preenchidas com solução corada de Acetato de vinyl, e por conseguinte submetidos ao processo de corrosão em solução aquosa, a 25 por cento, de Ácido sulfúrico. Em outros 30 animais, injetou-se solução aquosa, a 50 por cento, de Neoprene Látex 450 corada com pigmento específico e daí fixados em solução aquosa, a 10 por cento, de formaldeído. As artérias da base do encéfalo estiveram na dependência das redes admiráveis epidurais rostral e caudal. A artéria carótida do encéfalo após sua emergência na rede admirável epidural rostral forneceu os ramos rostral e caudal. A rede admirável caudal e ainda a artéria espinhal ventral foram responsáveis pela formação da artéria basilar, que se estendeu caudorostralmente diminuindo o seu calibre até anastomosar-se através de seus ramos terminais com os ramos caudais das artérias carótidas do encéfalo. O circuito arterial do encéfalo teve seu arranjo caracterizado a partir dos ramos rostrais e caudais das artérias carótidas do encéfalo e também dos ramos terminais da artéria basilar.

Origem, ramificações e distribuições da artéria celíaca em aves fêmeas (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Cobb 500 / Origin, ramifications and distributions of the celiac artery in female fowls (Gallus gallus) from Cobb 500 lineage

Estudaram-se a origem, ramificações e distribuições da artéria celíaca em 30 aves (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Cobb 500, fêmeas, com idade entre 7 e 12 semanas. Os espécimes tiveram seus vasos arteriais preenchidos com solução aquosa de Neoprene Látex 450 a 50 por cento e a seguir foram fixados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10 por cento. A artéria celíaca emergiu da face lateral direita da aorta descendente e enviou ramos ao esôfago (40 por cento), proventrículo (100 por cento), ventrículo (100 por cento), baço (100 por cento), fígado (100 por cento), vesícula biliar (100 por cento), ductos biliares (100 por cento), pâncreas (100 por cento), duodeno (100 por cento), jejuno (100 por cento), íleo (100 por cento) e cecos (100 por cento) e as artérias proventricular dorsal (96,67 por cento) e lienal (23,33 por cento) e dividiu-se em ramos direito e esquerdo em todos os animais. O ramos esquerdo enviou as artérias lienal (10 por cento), proventricular ventral (40 por centro), gastroduodenal (73,33 por cento), hepática esquerda (96,67 por cento), gástrica ventral (56,67 por cento) e terminou como artéria gástrica esquerda (100 por cento). O ramo direito enviou as artérias proventricular dorsal (3,33 por cento), lienais (96,67 por cento), hepática direita (96,67 por cento), ileocecal (33,33 por cento), gástrica direita (96,67 por cento) e ramos para a vesícular biliar (26,67 por cento) e jejuno (40 por cento), terminando como artéria pancreaticoduodenal (100 por cento).

Origem e distribuiçäo das artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal em aves (Gallus gallus) da linhagem Label Rouge / Origin and distribution of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in fowl (Gallus gallus) Label Rouge lineage

As artérias mesentéricas cranial e caudal säo vasos originados da aorta descendente e säo responsáveis pela irrigaçäo sanguínea de grande parte do aparelho digestório das aves. Foram utilizados 30 exemplares, fêmeas, da linhagem Label Rouge, com aproximadamente 7 a 8 semanas de idade, após injeçäo do sistema vascular arterial, via artéria isquiática, com soluçäo aquosa corada de Neoprene Látex "450", a 50 por cento. Posteriormente à sua fixaçäo em soluçäo aquosa de formol a 10 por cento, por período mínimo de 48 horas, as aves foram dissecadas, obtendo-se os seguintes resultados: a artéria mesentérica cranial emite as artérias ileocecal, de cinco a 13 jejunais e de uma a seis ileais. A artéria mesentérica caudal envia um ramo cranial que, em anastomose com a artéria ileocecal (ramo da artéria mesentérica cranial), em todos os casos, emite de cinco a 12 ramos, além de um ramo caudal que fornece de dois a cinco ramos. A artéria mesentérica cranial supre a maior parte do intestino delgado e cecos e a artéria mesentérica caudal irriga o reto e a cloaca, podendo, em alguns casos, vascularizar a porçäo final do íleo e os cecos