Adenoma of the Uterine Tube in the Bitch: Two Case Reports

Veterinary Research Communications - Marino, G., Quartuccio, M., Cristarella, S., Nicòtina, P.A. and Zanghì, A., 2007. Adenoma of the uterine tube in the bitch: two case reports....     

Bilateral Testicular Leydig Cells Tumour in a Donkey

A rare case of a bilateral Leydig cells tumour located in the testis of a 15-year-old donkey slaughtered normally is presented. Histologically, the testicular tumour showed neoplastic Leydig cells arranged in solid growth as a pseudoadenomatous packet type. To our knowledge, this is the first bilateral Leydig cells tumour, a neoplasm never reported in the donkey.     

Pseudomonas pneumonia of mink: pathogenesis, vaccination, and serologic studies

Fulminating pneumonia was produced in mink by the intratracheal administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The sequence of pulmonary lesions was focal inflammation, focal necrosis, and widespread inflammation and necrosis. Secondary lesions of peracute hemorrhage and necrosis were the result of bacterial spread via the airways. Invasion of vessel walls by P aeruginosa was a terminal event and was secondary to bacillary invasion and necrosis of adjacent tissues. Regional (lymphatic) and systemic spread of bacteria followed the development of pulmonary lesions, but there was little morphologic evidence of tissue damage in other organs. Immunofluorescence studies showed that P aeruginosa antigen was dispersed within pulmonary cells and was free in the lung parenchyma. Mink surviving beyond postinfection hour 60 had a macrophage infiltration into limited pulmonary lesions. A vaccine trial was conducted with P aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides (LPS) used as antigen, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect antibody. Antibody was detected in mink after vaccination with LPS or natural exposure. Mink with antibody to LPS, from vaccination or naturally acquired, were resistant to experimental infection.     

Kinetics and intrapulmonary disposition of tilmicosin after single and repeated oral bolus administrations to rabbits

Tilmicosin (TIM, Pulmotil®) was administered to eight rabbits by oral gavage at a dose of 12.5 mg/kg body weight for 2, 5, and 7 days, and its plasma kinetics and intrapulmonary disposition were investigated. TIM concentrations in plasma samples collected after days 1 and 6 of treatment were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The pharmacokinetic parameters, obtained by non-compartmental analysis of TIM plasma concentrations, did not show any significant variations between days 1 and 6. From the second day of treatment, TIM concentrations attained in lung tissue and pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) exceeded those in plasma by 7- and 400-fold, respectively, and high levels were maintained in lung tissues during the entire treatment duration. After the first day of withdrawal, a fast decline in TIM levels in both plasma and lung tissue was observed, but in PAM, much higher concentrations were maintained after 3 days of TIM withdrawal.     

Effects of different irrigation regimes on a super-high-density olive grove cv. “Arbequina”: vegetative growth,productivity and polyphenol content of the oil

The effects of multiple irrigation regimes on the relationships among tree water status, vegetative growth and productivity within a super-high-density (SHD) “Arbequina” olive grove (1950 tree/ha) were studied for three seasons (2008–2010). Five different irrigation levels calculated as percentage of crop irrigation requirement using FAO procedures (Allen et al. in Crop evapotranspiration. Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. Irrigation and drainage paper 56. FAO, Rome, 1998) were imposed during the growing season. Periodically during the growing season, daytime stem water potential (Ψ _STEM), inflorescences per branch, fruits per inflorescence and shoot absolute growth rate were measured. Crop yield, fruit average fresh weight and oil polyphenol content were measured after harvest. The midday Ψ _STEM ranged from ?7 to ?1.5 MPa and correlated well enough with yield efficiency, crop density and fruit fresh weight to demonstrate its utility as a precise method for determining water status in SHD olive orchards. The relationships between midday Ψ _STEM and the horticultural parameters suggest maintaining Ψ _STEM values between ?3.5 and ?2.5 MPa is optimal for moderate annual yields of good quality oil. Values below ?3.5 MPa reduced current season productivity, while values over ?2.5 MPa were less effective in increasing productivity, reduced oil quality and produced excessive crop set that strongly affected vegetative growth and fruit production the following season. On the basis of the result given here, irrigation scheduling in the new SHD orchards should be planned on a 2-year basis and corrected annually based on crop load. Collectively, these results suggest that deficit irrigation management is a viable strategy for SHD olive orchards.     

Fast determination of catechins and xanthines in tea beverages by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Antioxidant properties and stimulating effects of green tea are related to its content of cathechins and xanthines; tea quality evaluation is based on organoleptic tests and on the presence of those components. In this work, by a MEKC method, eight cathechins and three xanthines were quantified in some tea-based beverages. The best separation was realized using a phosphate-borate running buffer, with sodium dodecyl sulfate as micellar agent. A 40 cm capillary, a temperature of 29 degrees C, a voltage of 30 kV, and UV detection at 200 nm were used. The method showed a very good sensitivity (limit of detection ranging from 0.0011 to 0.0051 microg/mL) and was applied to real tea samples to characterize their antioxidant content. Statistical studies were performed and showed a satisfactory reliability of the data.     

Effects of adding polyclonal antibody preparations on ruminal fermentation patterns and digestibility of cows fed different energy sources

Nine ruminally cannulated cows fed different energy sources were used to evaluate an avian-derived polyclonal antibody preparation (PAP-MV) against the specific ruminal bacteria Streptococcus bovis, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Clostridium aminophilum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Clostridium sticklandii and monensin (MON) on ruminal fermentation patterns and in vivo digestibility. The experimental design was three 3 × 3 Latin squares distinguished by the main energy source in the diet [dry-ground corn grain (CG), high-moisture corn silage (HMCS), or citrus pulp (CiPu)]. Inside each Latin square, animals received one of the feed additives per period [none (CON), MON, or PAP-MV]. Dry matter intake and ruminal fermentation variables such as pH, total short-chain fatty acids (tSCFA), which included acetate, propionate, and butyrate, as well as lactic acid and NH(3)-N concentration were analyzed in this trial. Total tract DM apparent digestibility and its fractions were estimated using chromic oxide as an external marker. Each experimental period lasted 21 d. Ruminal fluid sampling was carried out on the last day of the period at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h after the morning meal. Ruminal pH was higher (P = 0.006) 4 h postfeeding in MON and PAP-MV groups when compared with CON. Acetate:propionate ratio was greater in PAP-MV compared with MON across sampling times. Polyclonal antibodies did not alter (P > 0.05) tSCFA, molar proportion of acetate and butyrate, or lactic acid and NH(3)-N concentration. Ruminal pH was higher (P = 0.01), 4 h postfeeding in CiPu diets compared with CG and HMCS. There was no interaction between feed additive and energy source (P > 0.05) for any of the digestibility coefficients analyzed. Starch digestibility was less (P = 0.008) in PAP-MV when compared with CON and MON. In relation to energy sources, NDF digestibility was greater (P = 0.007) in CG and CiPu vs. the HMCS diet. The digestibility of ADF was greater (P = 0.002) in CiPu diets followed by CG and HMCS. Feeding PAP-MV or monensin altered ruminal fermentation patterns and digestive function in cows; however, those changes were independent of the main energy source of the diet.     

Testicular Volume and Daily Sperm Output in Ragusano Donkeys

A careful evaluation of daily sperm output (DSO) and seminal parameters is indicative of the potential fertility of the animal and at the same time is useful for maximization of the reproductive activity. The aim of this article was to evaluate the seminal parameters, testicular volume (TV) calculated by ultrasound measurements, DSO, and any eventual relationship between these in Ragusano donkey jackasses. Eight Ragusano donkey stallions underwent a morphometric evaluation of the testes by ultrasound to calculate the TV, and daily semen collection for 10 consecutive days. TV ranged from 250 to 500 cm³ and no significant differences could be observed between the left and right testes. Only ejaculates from 4 to 10 days were analyzed, given that there was evidence that the sperm extragonadal reserve interfered with the total number of sperm in ejaculates during the early days. DSO in the Ragusano donkey ranged from 7 to 23 × 10⁹ sperms. The seminal parameters showed high values of motility, viability, and low abnormality percentages. Age, TVs, and sperm parameters were not significantly correlated. The correlation between TV and DSO was poor (P = .1) in this study and this may suggest that TV and DSO might simply not be highly correlated in the donkey.