Morphological and morphometric features of knee joint in wild boar (Sus scrofa)

In the study, it was aimed to reveal the structure of the knee joint anatomically and morphometrically in the wild pig known as the ancestor of the domestic pig. In the study, the left and right knee joints of mature 10 wild boars were used as material. For this purpose, the materials were fixed with 10% formaldehyde solution. Macroanatomical and morphometrical examinations of bones, menisci and ligaments involved in joint formation were performed after fixation. Trochlea and condyles of femur were examined, and various measurements were made. Trochlear labia were found to be the same size, and the condyles did not show a significant difference in size. The shape of lateral condyle of the tibia was trapezoid, and the shape of medial condyle was triangular. Moreover, the lateral intercondylar tubercule was higher according to the medial one. The presence of a shallow groove on the tibial tuberosity was detected. It was found that the width difference between apex and base was more pronounced on the anterior and lateral surface of the patella. Joint surface of the fibula was found to be flat in all materials. The menisci were ‘C’ shape, but the medial meniscus is more convex than the lateral one. It was observed that the outer edges were thick, while the inner edges were thin. Ligaments of the knee joint were well developed. When the findings of the study were compared with the literature, domestication seemed to have no significant effect in terms of the morphologic properties of the knee joint of wild boar.     

Use of aortic flow indexes derived from transthoracic echocardiography to evaluate response to a fluid challenge in anesthetized dogs

ObjectiveTo evaluate the ability of transthoracic echocardiographic aortic flow measurements to discriminate response to a fluid challenge (FC) in healthy anesthetized dogs.Study designProspective experimental study.AnimalsA total of 48 isoflurane-anesthetized dogs (14.2–35.0 kg) undergoing elective surgery.MethodsFluid responsiveness was evaluated before surgery by FC (lactated Ringer’s 10 mL kg^–1 intravenously over 5 minutes). Percentage increases in transpulmonary thermodilution stroke volume (ΔSV_TPTD) >15% from values recorded before FC defined responders to volume expansion. A group of 24 animals were assigned as nonresponders (ΔSV_TPTD ≤15%). When ΔSV_TPTD was >15% after the first FC, additional FC were administered until ΔSV_TPTD was ≤15%. Final fluid responsiveness status was based on the response to the last FC. Percentage increases after FC in aortic flow indexes [velocity time integral (ΔVTI_FC) and maximum acceleration (ΔVmax_FC)] and in mean arterial pressure (ΔMAP_FC) were compared with ΔSV_TPTD.ResultsAfter one FC, 24 animals were responders. For nonresponders, ΔSV_TPTD was ≤15% after one, two and three FCs in eight/24, 15/24 and one/24 animals, respectively. The FC that defined responsiveness increased ΔSV_TPTD by 29 (18–53)% in responders and by 8 (–3 to 15)% in nonresponders [mean (range)]. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) of ΔVTI_FC (0.901) was larger than the AUROCs of ΔVmax_FC (0.774, p = 0.041) and ΔMAP_FC (0.519, p < 0.0001). ΔMAP_FC did not predict responsiveness (p = 0.826). Best cut-off thresholds for discriminating responders, with respective zones of diagnostic uncertainty (gray zones) were >14.7 (10.8–17.6)% for ΔVTI_FC and >8.6 (–0.3 to 14.7)% for ΔVmax_FC. Animals within the gray zone were 17% (ΔVTI_FC) and 50% (ΔVmax_FC).Conclusions and clinical relevanceChanges in VTI induced by FC can determine responsiveness with reasonable accuracy in dogs and could play an important role in goal-directed fluid therapy.     

Mechanistic target of rapamycin is activated in bovine granulosa cells after LH surge but is not essential for ovulation

The LH surge induces functional and morphological changes in granulosa cells. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an integrator of signalling pathways in multiple cell types. We hypothesized that mTOR kinase activity integrates and modulates molecular pathways induced by LH in granulosa cells during the preovulatory period. Cows were ovariectomized and granulosa cells collected at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hr after GnRH injection. While RHEB mRNA levels increased at 3 and 6 hr, returning to basal levels by 12 hr after GnRH treatment, RHOA mRNA levels increased at 6 hr and remained high thereafter. Western blot analyses revealed increased S6K phosphorylation at 3 and 6 hr after GnRH injection. Similarly, mRNA levels of ERK1/2, STAR and EGR‐1 were higher 3 hr after GnRH treatment. Rapamycin treatment inhibited mTOR activity and increased AKT activity, but did not alter ERK1/2 phosphorylation and EGR1 protein levels in cultured bovine granulosa cells. Rapamycin also inhibited LH‐induced increase in EREG mRNA abundance in granulosa cells in vitro. However, intrafollicular injection of rapamycin did not suppress ovulation. These findings suggest that mTOR is involved in the control of EREG expression in cattle, which may be triggered by LH surge stimulating RHEB and S6K activity.     

Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds and Greenhouse Gases from the Anaerobic Bioremediation of Soils Contaminated with Diesel

Episodes of pollution resulting from high concentrations of environmental ozone frequently occur in different parts of the world. The ozone can affect human health, natural vegetation, and agricultural productivity. The monitoring of ozone concentrations is essential to aid investigation of its effects and it is also required to assess progress in public management of this pollutant. A new effective and simple technique is presented for the determination of ambient ozone concentrations using a visual procedure. The method is based on the reaction between the dye indigo and ozone, with the formation of colorless products. The bleaching intensity is proportional to the amount of ozone. An indigo color standard scale was developed with the utilization of digital image-based (DIB) calibration and printed as a wheel-chart test kit. Ozone sampling is performed using a passive sampler containing a filter impregnated with indigo. The amount of reacted ozone can be determined by visual comparison using the wheel-chart test kit. The method enables determination of ozone concentrations from 2 to 97 ppb, with intervals of 3 ppb. It does not require an energy source or any post-sampling chemical treatment or analysis, and the ozone concentration can be known immediately, in situ, at the end of the sampling period. The method offers substantial advantages in large-scale mapping and monitoring of ozone or measurements concerning occupational exposure to ozone.     

The fatty acid compositions of total,neutral and polar lipids in wild and farmed lambari (Astyanax altiparanae) (Garutti & Britski, 2000) broodstock

One way to develop broodstock fish diets is to determine the compositions of wild broodstock tissues and attempt to replicate these compositions in the eggs of farmed fish via dietary manipulation. We collected 30 wild and 30 farmed lambari females that were in the reproductive stage. The extraction and separation of polar and neutral fractions and the saponification and methylation of lipids were performed and analysed in the muscles, livers and ovaries to determine the compositions of the fatty acids via gas chromatography. Regardless of habitat, lambaris mobilize large amounts of fat to the ovaries during the reproductive period, in addition to highly unsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. The wild lambaris were observed to contain higher levels of various fatty acids, including linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. The most abundant fatty acid that was observed in the commercial diet was linoleic acid, which was supplied in all fish farmed tissues. The commercial diet has low AA, EPA and DHA contents, and, higher levels of these fatty acids were recorded in the tissues of farmed lambari, which suggests that this species are able to elongate and desaturate precursors, linoleic and linolenic acids, into highly unsaturated fatty acids.     

Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Protein Hydrolysates and Peptide Fractions Derived from Colossoma macropomum and Their Effect on Ground Beef Lipid Oxidation

The objective of this study was to obtain protein hydrolysate from the mechanically separated meat of blackfin pacu to evaluate the influence by ultrafiltration in the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the peptide fractions obtained and to apply in ground beef to evaluate the lipid stability. The enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using the enzyme Protamex (pH 7.0, 60°C) for 240 min. The protein hydrolysate was fractionated by ultrafiltration. Then, the antioxidant capacity of the protein hydrolysate and the peptide fractions were evaluated in vitro by the methods of 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline sulfonic acid) radical capture, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging assay, reducing power, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The antimicrobial activity of the samples was evaluated by disc-diffusion against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. After evaluation, the peptide fractions did not present higher bioactivities than that shown for the hydrolysate. The protein hydrolysate was applied to ground beef, where the substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid and color were evaluated during 7 days of storage at 4°C. Lipid oxidation was reduced up to 60.9% and there was no modification of the natural coloration. Thus, the protein hydrolysate can be used as an alternative source of antioxidant for the preservation of refrigerated meats.     

Short-term browsing by roe deer has little effect on survival and growth of sessile oak seedlings

We studied the effect of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) browsing on the growth and mortality of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) seedlings. First, we measured the height and basal diameter, and counted the number of shoots of the 849 seedlings of an experimental plantation, 60 of which were individually protected by fencing. We then introduced two tame roe deer females every day for three weeks from late May to mid-June. Measurements and counts were repeated after roe deer removal, then once again the following winter. We found no significant effect of browsing on mortality, total height, or basal diameter of the seedlings. However, the browsed seedlings exhibited a lower number of shoots despite regrowth observed after roe deer removal. We propose to use the tolerance of oak to deer browsing to promote natural and inexpensive methods, to protect oak during regeneration, such as the spatial arrangement of plants or the use of slash or surrounding vegetation in favourable environments.     

Calibration of a capacitance probe for measurement and mapping of dry matter yield in Mediterranean pastures

The main objective of this study was to calibrate a commercial capacitance probe for measuring pasture dry matter yields under Mediterranean conditions. The standard method of assessing pasture biomass is based on cutting all the forage within a specified area and requires great effort and expense to collect enough samples to accurately represent a pasture. The field tests were carried out in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on different dates (phenological stages), and on five dairy farms, representing typical pastures in the region (grasses; legumes; and bio-diverse flora, mixture of grasses, legumes and others species). The linear regression techniques used in 2007 to relate the weight of the herbage (direct measurements) to the meter reading of capacitance (indirect measurements) led to high regression coefficients in grasses (R² = 0.90; P < 0.01) and heterogeneous botanical composition (R² = 0.87; P < 0.001) and moderate regression coefficient in legumes species (R² = 0.48; P < 0.05). The validation of the calibration equations in 2008 and 2009 in two sites showed RSME values of 130 kg ha⁻¹ in heterogeneous botanical composition and 456 kg ha⁻¹ in legumes. The results indicated that the capacitance probe together with a GPS receiver might support site-specific management of pastures which would be useful in large areas.