The scanning electron and light microscopic structure of bovine tactile hair

Bovine tactile hairs in skin samples from the lateral side of the upper lip were examined using scanning electron and light microscopy. The root of these hairs has a variable length and is surrounded by a large sinus located between the internal and the external dermal sheath. With a prominent thickness, the external dermal sheath forms the external wall of the tactile hair and contains many nerves some of which extend into trabeculae. Trabeculae projecting from the internal dermal sheath and attaching to the external dermal sheath with two or more branches are present in the entire sinus. The trabeculae are interconnected by connective tissue sheets that support the integrity of the trabecular organization. The sinus surfaces as well as trabeculae are lined by endothelia. As a result, the bovine tactile hair is truly a cavernous type of tactile hair with a well organized microscopic anatomy. Thus, the bovine tactile hair most likely plays an important role in relatively immobile and insensitive bovine lips.     

Balancing resource protection and fishing activity: The case of the European hake in the northern Iberian Peninsula

One of the fundamental aims of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management is to ensure the long‐term sustainability of the fishery by protecting key life‐cycle habitats, such as recruitment areas. In this study, we apply a hurdle Bayesian hierarchical spatio‐temporal model that describes the abundance of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) recruits in the northern continental shelf of the Iberian Peninsula. Our findings clearly show four persistent nurseries, the main one being located along the continental shelf of the Artabrian gulf (off La Coruña). The preferential habitats identified for the hake recruits are areas within a bathymetric range of 120–200 m, with 15–16°C of Sea Surface Temperature, a Chl‐a concentration of 0.8–1.2 mg/m³ and low values of seabed rugosity (unconsolidated substrates). Searching for a compromise with fisheries, we also assess the degree of overlap of the main nursery areas with two fisheries footprints, a local one using Vessel Monitoring System data of trawl fishery of Marín, and a global one using Automatic Identification System data of different type of trawlers (bottom otter, beam and midwater trawls). The two fisheries footprints present different degree of overlapping in distinct areas, highlight the need of specific fleet‐adapted management rules in order to protect juvenile stages. We discuss that understanding the distributional patterns associated with key life stages, such as recruitment, and their interaction with fishing activities, is essential for applying appropriate spatial management measures and improving fishery sustainability.     

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.     

True hermaphroditism in a horned goat with 60XX/60XY chimerism

Anatomical, behavioral, histological, endocrinological, and cytogenetic characteristics were determined in a horned intersex goat. Histology of the gonads confirmed that the goat was a true hermaphrodite. Cytogenetic analysis showed that it was a chimera (60XX/60XY). Use of laparoscopy allowed determination of characteristics of the internal gonads.     

Evaluation of an oscillometric blood pressure monitor for use in anesthetized cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine accuracy of an oscillometric blood pressure monitor used over a wide range of pressures in anesthetized cats. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 6 healthy cats. PROCEDURE: 4 female cats and 2 male cats that weighed 2.7 to 4.5 kg (5.9 to 9.9 lb) and were 2 to 8 years old were anesthetized. Blood pressure was measured directly with an arterial catheter placed in the right femoral artery and indirectly from the left antebrachium by use of an oscillometric monitor. A series of diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) measurements were obtained during hypotension, normotension, and hypertension. Values obtained indirectly and directly were compared. RESULTS: The oscillometric monitor was accurate for DAP and MAP throughout the entire pressure range and met the standards of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (mean +/- SD difference from values obtained directly, < or = 5 +/- 8 mm Hg). The SAP was increasingly underestimated with increasing overall pressure; mean differences from direct measurements were -5.2, -12.1, and -17.7 mm Hg during hypo-, normo-, and hypertension, respectively. Standard deviations for SAP were all < or = 8 mm Hg. The monitor gave readings during all attempts. The direct blood pressure recording system appeared to perform well with neither under- nor overdamping. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Except for a minor underestimation of SAP during normo- and hypertension, the oscillometric monitor yielded reliable and easily obtainable blood pressure measurements in anesthetized cats.     

Protein and energy nutrition of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) at optimal and elevated temperatures

The digestible protein (DP) and digestible energy (DE) requirements for maintenance and growth of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were determined using a factorial model at either optimum (15 °C) or elevated temperature (19 °C). Several key parameters of the factorial model were measured using a series of inter‐related studies. The maintenance requirements for DP and DE were 0.10 gDP kg^?0.69 day^?1 (15 °C) and 0.31 gDP kg^?0.78 day^?1 (19 °C), and 34.86 kJDE kg^?0.84 day^?1 (15 °C) and 46.14 kJDE kg^?0.86 day^?1 (19 °C). The total requirements for DP were 0.10 gDP kg^?0.69 day^?1 + 2.14PG (protein gain) (15 °C) and 0.31 gDP kg^?0.78 day^?1 + 1.98PG (19 °C). The total requirements for DE were 36.86 kJDE kg^?0.84 day^?1 + 1.58EG (energy gain) (15 °C) and 46.14 kJDE kg^?0.86 day^?1 + 1.64EG (19 °C). The partial efficiencies for growth were 0.47 (15 °C) and 0.51 (19 °C) for protein, and 0.63 (15 °C) and 0.61 (19 °C) for energy. Nutrient gain was lower at the elevated temperature; however, feed formulation for brook trout should be adjusted to match changes in nutrient requirements at different culture temperatures. The protein and energy requirements model will be useful for developing commercial feeds and feeding charts for brook trout.     

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.     

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.