Effects of α-lipoic acid, vitamins E and C upon the heat stress in Japanese quails

Antioxidant vitamins are commonly used as colorant, preventive, sweetener, nutritive and antioxidant materials in food industry. Thus, many studies have been conducted in recent years. We have performed the present study to understand the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA), vitamin C and E, added into rations of Japanese quails, on chronic heat stress. This study was carried out in five groups as: control, stress, ALA, vitamin E and vitamin C groups. Heat stress is applied to all groups except the control group. Superficial pectoral muscles tissues were used for biochemical determinations. During the research, it is found that heat stress exerted undesired effects such as increasing lipid peroxidation (LPO) level indicating oxidative stress in Japanese quails. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities and glutathione (GSH) amounts were studied to understand the behaviour of defence mechanism. While stress increased LPO ratio, it was determined that all antioxidant added into the ration decreases LPO significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, it was determined that all of antioxidants added into ration effectively restored SOD activity and LPO ratio which heat stress affected negatively. Interestingly, vitamin C did not adjust GSH ratio in contrast to vitamin E and ALA, where vitamin E and C did not perform any positive effect on heat stress decreased CAT activity. Finally, it can be thought that antioxidant vitamins relatively ameliorated these undesired affects caused by stress factors given.     

Effect of a bacterial lipopolysaccharide treatment on rabbit testis and ejaculated sperm

In a previous study, we reported the short- and long-term effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation on rabbit sperm quality. This study was aimed at exploring the spermatogenesis of the rabbit model focussing on the possible damages occurring to the testis and ejaculated sperm. Twenty New Zealand White rabbit bucks were divided into two groups. One group was inoculated intra-peritoneally with LPS, the other group, considered as control, was treated under the same conditions with saline only. Semen samples were collected before LPS injection, the 7th, 14th, 21st, 30th, 45th, 60th and 90th day after LPS treatment. Semen parameters were evaluated following international guidelines. The kinetic characteristics of ejaculated sperm were analysed using a computer-assisted sperm analyzer and the ultrastructural characteristics were explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). On the 7th, 14th and 30th day, testis from treated rabbits and controls were obtained. Testis samples were analysed by light microscopy and TEM. The induced LPS lesions in the testis became evident the 7th day after treatment, with a decrease in germinal cells and with an increase in structurally altered Sertoli cells; normal spermatogenesis was restored on the 30th day. The testicular damages observed on day 7 were probably responsible for the reduction in sperm concentration and motility and the ultrastructural alterations that were detected in the ejaculated sperm on the 14th through the 30th days after treatment. In conclusion, rabbit buck treated with LPS could be a useful model for studying the effect of an induced systemic inflammation on spermatogenesis.     

Antibiotic residues in goats milk following intramammary treatment

Two lactational intramammary antibiotic preparations (cloxacillin and oxytetracycline) were each used to treat eight goats by intramammary infusion in one half. The rate of release of the antibiotics was monitored by a diffusion assay based on the sensitive organism Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolactis. Cloxacillin was still detectable 156 hours after the final treatment while oxytetracycline was undetectable 108 hours following treatment. A small but significant amount of antibiotic was translocated between treated and untreated halves of the udder in both cases.     

Efficiency of utilisations of food energy by female growing minks

The efficiency of utilisation of food energy by female growing minks, from weaning to adult age, was studied. The food given, pelleted according to an original technology, has the following chemical composition on a DM basis: 87.0% organic matter, 37.1% crude protein, 11.7% crude fat, 2.6% crude fiber, 35.6% nitrogen-free extractives and 13.0 per cent ash. Young minks had a feed intake, in relation to body weight, warying from 11.6 g to 58.6 g DM/d. Maximum feed intake related to kg0.75 was recorded at 700 g body weight (approximately 98 g DM/kg0.65). Digestibility of the given food expressed in DE, averaged 87.7 +/- 1.2%, while metabolizability, 82.3 +/- 1.1%. Total heat production related to the intaked gross energy, was 48.0 +/- 3.0%, and the retained energy, 34.3 +/- 4.0 per cent. The net efficiency of the metabolizable energy used for maintenance and production could not be accurately determined. However, taking to account the calculated values required for maintenance, of 649 kJ/kg0.75 in 300 to 600 g young minks, and of 607 kJ/kg0.75 in 600 to 1100 g young minks and also the maintenance efficiency, Km = 0.75, the coefficient for ME utilisation in protein and fat synthesis, of 0.50 and 0.75, respectively, it was able to determine the average ME efficiency used as net energy for maintenance and production: 70%. The highest values of nictemeral metabolism were recorded in the evening, and the lowest ones, at noon; the difference between the maximal and the minimal value did not exceed 6 per cent.     

Experimental Salmonella-associated conjunctivitis in cats.

Cats were infected experimentally with Salmonella typhimurium via the conjunctiva. Clinical signs consisted of lacrimation, conjunctivitis, blepharospasm, prominent nictitating membrane and scleral injection. These signs were accompanied by an absolute neutrophilia and conjunctival smears indicative of moderate to severe suppurative inflammation. Ocular signs disappeared by day 6 postinfection. Salmonella typhimurium was cultured intermittently from the inoculated conjunctivae and rectal swabs through day 7. At necropsy, mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes were enlarged. Histopathological findings included chronic conjunctivitis and lymphoid hyperplasia in cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes. This study confirms that S. typhimurium can cause a primary conjunctivitis and that the ocular route of infection can lead to fecal excretion of Salmonella, in the absence of other clinical manifestations.     

A lysosomal storage disorder in the BALB/c mouse: bone marrow transplantation

The morphological and biochemical consequences of transplanting affected bone marrow from donor BALB/c mice with a lysosomal storage disorder (BALB/c LSD) into normal recipient mice were studied. Bone marrow was removed from normal BALB/c and BALB/c LSD mice and transfused into normal BALB/c recipient mice four hours after the mice received 850 rads of irradiation. Tissues of the recipient mice were examined 240 days later. This study revealed that the defective cells that constituted the visceral lesions of BALB/c LSD could be transplanted to normal BALB/c mice by the use of bone marrow from affected BALB/c LSD homozygote; that the defective cells of BALB/c LSD proliferated and disseminated throughout the mononuclear phagocytic system of the recipient; that there were increases in cholesterol, sphingolipids, and cystine with decreases in sphingomyelinase and glucocerebrosidase activity in tissues of the recipients; and that the recipients survived substantially longer than BALB/c LSD homozygotes and their lifespan was compromised mainly by the secondary effects of irradiation. These lesions, although not as extensive as in homozygous BALB/c LSD, paralleled the lesions which develop in BALB/c LSD. Since the recipient mice were not compromised by the short life span (70 days) of the BALB/c LSD mice, they may be used to study the long-term chronic effects of these metabolic lesions.     

Distribution of immunoglobulin-bearing cells in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues of the turkey: effect of antibiotics

Distribution of immunoglobulin (Ig)-bearing cells in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues of antibiotic treated and untreated control turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) was compared. Antibiotic treatment was similar to a regimen used in commercial turkey production, which included preincubation dipping of fertile eggs in gentamicin solution, injection of turkeys with gentamicin at hatching, and inclusion of chlortetracycline in the diet. Tissues were examined from turkeys at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days of age with a direct immunofluorescence procedure. Cell distribution in control turkeys was as follows: In the bursa of Fabricius, IgA-carrying cells predominated at 3 days of age, but at later intervals, the 3 classes of Ig-bearing cells were in equal numbers. In the cecal tonsils, IgM- and IgA-bearing cells were in larger numbers at 3 days of age, whereas, the IgG-bearing cells were sparsely distributed. By 7 days of age, IgM cells became more numerous in the cecal tonsils and remained numerous until 21 days of age. At 3 days of age, IgA cells predominated in the small intestines and IgM cells predominated in the large intestine. At 7 and 14 days of age, IgM cells were more numerous in the small and large intestines, but by 21 days of age, IgA cell population equaled that of IgM. The IgG cells were generally sparse in the intestines. Antibiotic treatment often resulted in lower numbers of Ig-positive cells, especially those bearing IgM and IgA. Normal development of the bursa of Fabricius was also retarded in this group.