Removal of a fragmented nasogastric tube from the transverse colon of a horse undergoing exploratory celiotomy for colic

This report describes the clinical course and surgical findings of a 5-year-old Warmblood gelding referred for colic with a previous history of intermittent colic episodes, and gastric ulcers diagnosed by gastroscopy in the preceding months. The horse underwent medical treatment but remained painful and surgery was elected. The horse underwent an exploratory laparotomy during which an impaction was identified in the transverse colon that was associated with an approximately 1 metre segment of nasogastric tube. The foreign body was removed via an enterotomy in the left dorsal colon, and the horse recovered well from surgery. No complications were encountered post-operatively.     

Histopathologic patterns of nephropathy in naturally acquired canine visceral leishmaniasis

Although the nephropathy of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is known both in humans and dogs, histopathologic alterations have not been thoroughly studied. We examined renal alterations in 55 dogs with naturally acquired VL compared with five noninfected dogs from an endemic area in northeastern Brazil. Glomerulonephritis was found in 55 dogs, interstitial alterations in 53 dogs, and tubular changes in 43 dogs with VL. The glomerular alterations found were minor glomerular abnormalities (n = 8, 14.5%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (n = 10, 18.2%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 17, 32.7%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, (n = 18, 30.9%), crescentic glomerulonephritis (n = 1, 1.8%), and chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 1, 1.8%). Morphometric and ultrastructural studies complemented the analysis. The five control animals exhibited no glomerular alterations. The glomerular lesions were related to functional alterations. Considering that the alterations of canine and human nephropathy in VL are very similar, the data obtained in this study constitute an important contribution to the understanding of canine and human VL nephropathy.     

Improvements in somatic embryogenesis protocol in Feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret): Induction,conversion and synthetic seeds

Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) syn. Feijoa sellowiana, a Brazilian indigenous Myrtaceae is under domestication in South Brazil. Previous works showed that this species is responsive to somatic embryogenesis and recalcitrant to conventional methods of clonal propagation. In the present work it was evaluated the role of components of culture medium in the induction and development of somatic embryos. The technology of synthetic seeds was also evaluated. Zygotic embryos were inoculated in LPm medium supplemented with 8 mM glutamic acid and 8 mM l-glutamine, 2,4-dichlophenoxiacetic acid (20 μM) and myo-inositol. For conversion of somatic embryos and synthetic seeds it was tested the effect of 6-benzylaminopurine and gibberellic acid combined or not with activated charcoal. The highest values for embryogenetic induction (100%) and number of somatic embryos/explant (113) were observed in the LPm medium supplemented with Glu (8 mM), and 2,4-D. The culture medium supplemented with BA (0.5 μM) and GA₃ (1 μM) and activated charcoal (1.5 g L⁻¹) enhanced the conversion of somatic embryos to plantlets. Pre-germinated somatic embryos encapsulated in sodium alginate with BA (0.5 μM) and GA₃ (1 μM) developed radicles. The use of synthetic seed was a requisite for the survival of plantlets.     

Morphological Analysis of the Tongue and the Digestive Tube of Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola brasiliensis,LINNAUES 1766) Apprehended by CETAS/IBAMA‐PB

The saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola brasiliensis) is a Passeriforme of the Brazilian wildlife. There are scarcely any morphological studies on it, although it is frequently trafficked for its birdsong abilities. Its peculiarities, such as territorialism and developed syrinx that provides outstanding song, draw attention towards its domestication. Thus, this study aimed to morphologically describe the tongue and digestive tube organs of this species to furnish subsidies for nutritional, clinical and conservation studies. Forty‐one birds from the Wild Animal Screening Center (CETAS)/Brazilian Institute of Environment (IBAMA)/city of Cabedelo, state of Paraíba (PB) were used. Samples were collected, identified and sent to standard light microscopy; samples of proventriculus and gizzard were sent to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The samples showed stratification similar to that of other domestic and wild birds, confirmed in the scanning electron microscopy; however, they differed in the absence of dermal papillae in the tongue, lack of ingluvial glands and lack of muscular mucosa and sub‐mucosa in the large intestine.     

Effect of Leptin on In Vivo Goat Embryo Production

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin administration during superovulation on in vivo goat embryo production. Ten mature does were superovulated with 133 mg follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) i.m. in six descending doses at 12‐h intervals. The goats received 4.8 μg/kg human recombinant leptin s.c. (leptin group, n = 5) or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (control group, n = 5) with the first and second FSH doses. The does were mated and subjected to embryo collection by transcervical technique 6 days later. The total number of cells per embryo and the number of cells with fragmented DNA were assessed in selected blastocysts by combining Hoechst 33342 and terminal dUTP nick‐end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P₄) were determined by electrochemiluminescence from the day of FSH treatment, on the day of superovulatory oestrus and on the day before embryo collection. Compared with the control group, the does that received leptin had a higher number of transferable embryos (p < 0.005), fewer embryos classified as degenerated (p < 0.001) and fewer TUNEL‐positive cells/blastocyst (p < 0.001). The number of transferable embryos was positively correlated with E₂ concentrations on day of oestrus (r = 0.562; p < 0.01) and P₄ concentrations on the day of embryo collection (r = 0.912; p < 0.001). We concluded that in vivo leptin administration during FSH treatment improved embryo quality and affected ovarian steroidogenesis in superovulated goats.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Xenostrobus securis </Emphasis>(Lamarck, 1819) (Mollusca: Bivalvia): first report of an introduced species in Galician waters

The presence of the non-indigenous species, the black-pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis, is reported here for the first time in an intense shellfish farming area off Galicia (NW Spain). Very high concentrations of this mytilid bivalve have colonized estuarine waters located at the inner part of the Ria de Vigo. The invasive role of X. securis is discussed in the context of the wide ecological tolerance of the species and the recent finding of settlements of this species on numerous colonies of the economically-important blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. The mode of introduction of the black-pygmy mussel is also discussed in relation to human management activities.     

Effect of site and storage conditions on quality of industrial fresh pepper

The commercial expansion of roasted pepper as a high market value product have made that the period of time in which canning industries process the fresh pepper fruits needs to be extended. Fresh sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) destined for industry grown in different sites was cold stored in order to analyse the effect of different sites and storage conditions on the quality of the product at harvest and during storage. Storage during 10 days at 8 °C was the best storage condition to improve quality of pepper destined for industry, because colour was improved, weight loss (1–1.6%) was lower than maximum permissible and decay incidence was only between 0% and 2.3%. Harvest should be delayed until pepper reaches the red state in order to increase the quality of the fruit. However, these results suggest that pepper growers should assure a high content of Ca (>0.6 g kg⁻¹) in the soil to avoid a high incidence of decay during storage when a late harvest is needed to guarantee the enhancement of colour in pepper fruit destined for industry. These storage conditions are in accordance with those found to improve the sensory quality of roasted pepper.     

Organic carbon stocks and soil erodibility in Canary Islands Andosols

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a key role in the structural stability of soils and in their resistance against erosion. However, and as far as andic soils are concerned, these mechanisms and processes, as well as the influence of the different types of SOC on aggregate stability, are not fully understood. The targets of this paper are: (i) to determine the content and forms of SOC in Andosols under evergreen forest vegetation [laurel (Laurus) and heather (Erica) forest] and (ii) to find out the role of soil organic matter (SOM) in the aggregate stability and in the resistance of Andosols to water erosion. Soil samples have been collected in 80 sites in a 40 km² area under udic soil moisture regime. In them, fulvic and humic acids, Walkley–Black SOC, pyrophosphate-extractable SOC, Fe and Al, potassium sulphate extractable SOC, dissolved SOC, acid oxalate-extractable Fe, Al and Si, USLE K-factor and aggregate stability have been determined. The Andosols over volcanic ash are Aluandic Andosols (non-allophanic Andosols), whereas over basaltic lava flows are Silandic Andosols (allophanic Andosols). The surface (0–30 cm) samples analyzed contain 9.5–30 kg C m^− 2 being significantly higher in allophanic Andosols (p < 0.5). Organic carbon adsorbed onto the mineral fraction (extractable pyrophosphate, C_p) accounts for 35–55% of the total SOC. All samples show a high stability to slaking and raindrop impact, being the first one highly correlated (r = 0.6) with pyrophosphate extractable C (C_p), Fe (Fe_p), and Al (Al_p) in allophanic Andosols, unlike non-allophanic ones. The stability to raindrop impact correlates with pyrophosphate extractable C (C_p) and Fe (Fe_p) in both types of soils (r = 0.3–0.6, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the high stability to both slaking and water-drop impact is due to the occurrence of allophane–Fe–OC complexes, rather than to the total OC, and the active Fe and Al forms, generated by the weathering of volcanic materials, constitute an essential constituent responsible for C sequestration and resistance to degradation in these soils.     

Stratum adiposum, a special structure of the African Catfish skin (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822)

The skin histology of Clarias gariepinus, a scaleless teleost from south central Africa, is described. The African catfish epidermis is composed of epithelial cells representing 62.3% of volumetric density (Vv), club cells (Vv = 25.7%), mucous cells (Vv = 10.5%) and melanocytes (Vv = 1.4%). Its thickness amounts to approximately 240 microm. The dermis is distinguished by two well differentiated layers, the stratum adiposum, containing prominent amounts of adipose tissue, which forms large, oblong compartments circumscribed by dense connective tissue, and the stratum compactum, which is rich in compacted collagen fibres. Compared with other catfish species the dermis thickness is considerably thicker ranging from 1.3 to 2.3 mm. The function of this type of skin is discussed.