Effects of Straw Volume and Equex-STM® on Boar Sperm Quality after Cryopreservation

The present experiments were designed to study the effect of adding the detergent Equex-STM^® to freezing extender, and of straw volume (0.25 ml vs 0.5 ml), on boar sperm quality after cryopreservation. Three ejaculates from each of four purebred boars (three Landrace and one Yorkshire) were collected and frozen with a lactose-egg yolk extender containing glycerol with or without 1.5% Equex-STM^®. The extended semen was loaded into either 0.25- or 0.5-ml straws. The straws were placed in liquid nitrogen (LN₂) vapour approximately 3 cm above the level of LN₂ for 20 min and then were plunged into LN₂. Thawing was achieved in warm water at 50°C for 12 s and then was incubated in a 38°C water-bath for 30 min before evaluating sperm quality. Results showed that the individual motility, viability and acrosomal normal apical ridge (NAR) were improved (p < 0.001) when Equex-STM^® was added to the freezing extender. There was no difference (p   =   0.48) in sperm motility between 0.25- and 0.5-ml straws when Equex-STM^® was added. The percentages of viable and of NAR sperm in 0.5-ml straws were higher than those in 0.25-ml straws (p   =   0.02, p   =   0.0003 respectively). The percentages of membrane intact sperm evaluated using the short hypo-osmotic swelling test were not affected by straw volume or the adding of Equex-STM^® (p   >   0.05). The results of these investigations suggested that Equex-STM^® exerts a beneficial effect on the quality of cryopreserved boar semen and this cryopreservation protocol was favourable for a 0.5-ml straw.     

The distribution and chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal and inflamed ileum in the pig

The present study investigated the chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal (n=4) and inflamed (n=4) ileum (chemically-induced inflammation) in juvenile pigs using retrograde tracing combined with immunohistochemistry. Ileum-projecting neurons (IPN) were predominantly distributed in the left and right superior mesenteric pools of the ganglion. The majority of them were adrenergic (tyrosine hydroxylase-positive) and also contained neuropeptide Y, somatostatin or galanin. No clear-cut differences in the distribution and chemical coding of IPN were found between normal and inflamed pigs. However, in the inflamed group, the density of peptidergic, IPN-associated nerve fibres was higher than that found in the control group.     

Spindle cell sarcoma in the kidney of a dog

A spindle cell sarcoma involving the left kidney was diagnosed in a 14-year-old male Basenji. Radiography and ultrasonography were used to define the extent and location of the mass. Metastatic disease was not detected. An 8 x 5-cm mass, involving the left kidney, was resected by performing nephroureterectomy. Signs of metastasis were not detected at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Shortly after the 6-month examination, the dog was euthanatized because of perceived signs of pain attributable to cervical disk disease. Postmortem examination was not performed. Histologic examination consisted of use of hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome, and van Gieson stains, and 4 immunoperoxidase techniques. On the basis of the histologic findings, the final diagnosis was spindle cell sarcoma, with the 2 most likely possibilities being leiomyosarcoma and fibrosarcoma.     

The performance of a thermometer screen on an automatic weather station

The performance of a Didcot-type thermometer screen on an Automatic Weather Station and a conventional Stevenson screen were compared, both with each other and against an aspirated Assmann psychrometer. Maximum temperature in the Didcot screen exceeded the conventional screen maximum by up to 1 K on calm, sunny days, and Didcot minimum temperatures were as much as 1.5 K less than the screen minima on still, clear nights; mean temperature discrepancies between screens were + 0.3 and − 0.4 K for maxima and minima, respectively. The apparent psychrometric constant for the Didcot screen was 1.0 mbar K⁻¹ which increased to 1.2 mbar K⁻¹ when u < 2 m s⁻¹ in contrast to the value of 0.799 mbar K⁻¹ frequently used for the Stevenson screen.     

Effects of intravenous sodium bicarbonate and sodium acetate on equine acid-base status

Changes in blood gases, pH, and plasma electrolyte concentrations in response to intravenously infused sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) and sodium acetate (NaCH₃CO₂) solutions (1.34 mEq/mL) in 5 light breed mares were investigated. Jugular venous blood samples were collected before and after completion of the infusions in 20-minute intervals for 200 minutes. Infusion of sodium bicarbonate and sodium acetate caused significant (P < .00l) increases in blood pH and bicarbonate ion concentration that persisted throughout the collection period. The elevation in blood pH and bicarbonate ion concentrations was greater (P < .01) for sodium bicarbonate than for sodium acetate immediately after the completion of the infusions but was not different (P > .05) thereafter. There were significant reductions (P < .01) in plasma-ionized calcium and potassium after infusion of both sodium bicarbonate and sodium acetate. This study found that significant metabolic alkalosis in horses and corresponding shifts in electrolyte concentrations can be induced by intravenous infusion of solutions of either sodium bicarbonate or sodium acetate, and they persist for at least 3 hours. These data show that the short-term elevation in pH and bicarbonate ion concentration is momentarily higher after infusion of sodium bicarbonate. This is likely due to the direct infusion of bicarbonate ions in the sodium bicarbonate treatment, such that further metabolism is not required to be effective. However, the longer-term alkalosis did not differ between isomolar solutions of sodium bicarbonate and sodium acetate.