Light and electron microscopic study of the thyroid gland of the camel (Camelus dromedarius)

The thyroid gland of sexually immature dromedary camels was studied using both light and electron microscopy. The thyroid gland contained follicles of different sizes in both summer and winter. However, most of the follicles were large in summer and small in winter. The large follicles were lined by very low cuboidal or semi-squamous follicular cells whereas the small ones were lined by high cuboidal or low columnar follicular cells. Electron microscopy showed that the very low cuboidal follicular cells were poor in organelles and were considered hypoactive. High cuboidal follicular cells on the other hand, were rich in organelles that included mitochondria, cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, secretory vesicles, colloid droplets, heterosomes and autophagic vacuoles; they were considered to be very active. The possible role played by these organelles is synthesis of thyroglobulin and liberation of tri- and tetraiodothyronine is discussed. A few degenerate follicular cells were infrequently encountered in the camel thyroid. Parafollicular (C) cells were not seen in this study either with light or electron microscopy.     

The parotid, mandibular and lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes of the camel (Camelus dromedarius)

The parotid, mandibular and lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes of the dromedary camel were examined using both light and electron microscopy. All three lymph nodes were lobulated. They did not show the characteristic medulla, cortex and paracortex of typical lymph nodes. Instead, they contained lymphatic nodules, dense anodular lymphoid tissue and diffuse lymphoid tissue dispersed throughout the lymph node. Networks of sinuses were present in the diffuse lymphoid tissue. The diffuse lymphoid tissue in the periphery of all lymph nodes examined was characterized by numerous erythrocytes within and around its network of sinuses. The nodal sinuses were contiguous with the septal vessels, which are considered the possible source of erythrocytes seen in this study. The lymph nodes that were seen in this study resembled the haemolymph nodes of other mammals with regard to their content of erythrocytes but were unique in being located in sites that were typical of ordinary lymph nodes. Morphometric analysis has shown that the percentage volume densities of the stroma and the various parenchymal components were similar in the three lymph nodes.     

Toxin production by and adhesive properties of Clostridium difficile isolated from humans and horses with antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Clostridium difficile is a common nosocomial pathogen in humans and animals that causes diarrhea and colitis following antibiotic therapy. Isolates of C. difficile obtained from faecal material from 20 human patients and 6 equine subjects with antibiotic-associated diarrhea were investigated regarding production of toxins A and B, their capacity to adhere to the human intestinal Caco-2 cell line and equine intestinal cells, and for the presence of fimbriae. The results showed that most (17/20) of the human clinical isolates produced both toxins A and B. One of the human isolates proved toxin A-negative/toxin B-positive. All (6/6) horse isolates were positive for both toxins A and B. Both the human and horse isolates possessed the capacity to adhere, to varying degree, to human and equine intestinal cells. It appeared that human isolates produced greater amounts of toxin B, and that there was a host-species dependency on ability to attach to intestinal epithelial cells. No fimbriae were found in any of the investigated isolates.     

The optimized inclusion level of Bacillus subtilis fermented Azolla pinnata in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) diets: immunity,antioxidative status,intestinal digestive enzymes and histomorphometry,and disease resistance

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - A 95-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of feeding Bacillus subtilis fermented Azolla (BSFA) on nonspecific immunity, antioxidative status,...     

Total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone

The total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone, were determined. Grape seed and green tea were analyzed for their phenolic constituents using high-performance liquid chromatography. The total phenolics of the plant extracts, determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, ranged from 24.8 to 92.5 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalent/g dry material. The antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts determined by conjugated diene measurement of methyl linoleate were 3.4-86.3%. The antioxidant activity of the extracts using chicken fat by an oxidative stability instrument (4.6-10.2 h of induction time) followed a similar trend in antioxidant activity as determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Seven phenolics in grape seed and green tea extracts were identified that ranged from 15.38 to 1158.49 and 18.3 to 1087.02 mg/100 g of extract, respectively. Plant extracts such as green tea and grape seed extracts can be used to retard lipid oxidation in a variety of food products.     

Zur Wirkung verschiedener Beutearten auf die räuberische Kapazität des NematodenDiplogaster sp. (Rhabdita,Diplogasteridae)

Zusammenfassung Zwecks Untersuchung der Beutepräferenz und der Effizienz des räuberischen NematodenDiplogaster sp. wurden dessen Adulten mit den Larven zweier pflanzenparasitärer Nematodenarten (Pratylenchus zeae undMeloidogyne incognita var. 3) sowie mit den Larven zweier Fliegenarten (Ceratitis capitata undMusca domestica) zusammen gehalten.Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß dieDiplogaster-Nematoden einen großen Teil der Beutetiere fraßen, und zwar in der ReihenfolgeM. incognita, P. zeae, C. capitata undM. domestica. Die beiden phytoparasitären Nematodenarten wurden somit den Insekten-larven vorgezogen. Die Vernichtungsquoten betrugen in dieser Reinhenfolge 81,5-76-55 und 44%.

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Effect of different kinds of food source on the predation efficiency ofDiplogaster sp. nematode (Rhabdita, Diplogasteridae)

The present investigation was conducted to assess the favorable prey of different vermiform larvae of certain insects (Ceratitis capitata, Musca domestica) and phyto-parasitic nematodes (Pratylenchus zeae, Meloidogyne incognita var. 3) which would exterminated by the predator nematode,Diplogaster sp.The obtained results indicate thatDiplogaster sp. exteriminated large numbers of prey ofM. incognita var. 3 andP. zeae, followed byC. capitata andM. domestica. The larvae of phytoparasitic nematodes were preferable prey toDiplogaster nematode, than that of insects. The predatious rate on the larvae ofM. incognita, P. zeae, C. capitata andM. domestica was 81.5, 76, 55, and 44%, respectively.

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