RCAAP Repository

During the critical period of the maternal recognition, which occurs between days 15 and 19 of pregnancy, the conceptus must competently synthesize molecules capable of blocking the synthesis of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) and luteolysis. In cattle, the major macromolecule involved in suck blockage is the protein interferon-tau (IFN-τ). During the critical period, failures in the recognition of pregnancy determine embryonic mortality on up to 40% of inseminated cows. Data about IFN-τ in Bos taurus indicus are still scarce. Objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the presence of IFN-τ during the critical period for maternal recognition of pregnancy in uterine flushings obtained in vivo by Foley catheter (Days 14, 16 and 18 post estrus) or post-mortem (Day 18 post estrus). Multiparous, cyclic or pregnant zebu cows (Bos taurus indicus) on days 14, 16 and 18 post estrus were used for in vivo or post mortem uterine flushing collection. In both cases, a Ringer solution was used to wash the uterus of cows. Uterine flushings were concentrated by ultra-filtration and lyophilized. Proteins were separated by one-dimensional electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in a 15% polyacrilamide gel. Interferon-tau quantification in uterine flushings was performed by western blotting and densitometry. Non-specific protein bands were observed in both in vivo and post mortem uterine flushings. Interferon-tau was detected only in uterine flushings obtained from pregnant cows post-mortem (P<0.05). Optical density of protein bands was not affected by the day of the critical period, state (cyclic or pregnant) or interaction day x state. There was no effect of the conceptus weight or progesterone concentration on the day of uterine flushing collection in the optical density of the IFN-τ protein band. It was concluded that the detection and quantification of IFN-τ in the uterine environment of zebu cows, in these experimental?conditions, is only possible in uterine flushings obtained post-mortem.

The purpose of this study was to determine and to compare the serum protein electrophoresis profile in female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), free-ranging (n=20) nesting in the north coast of Bahia and in the animals kept in captivity (n=5) in the visitor center of the Projeto Tamar-Ibama, in Praia do Forte, Bahia, Brazil. The values obtained for the free-ranging turtles were: total protein 3,84±0,56g/dL, albumin 1,39±0,30g/dL, alfa-1 and alfa-2 globulin 0,34±0,09g/dL and 0,42±0,22g/dL, beta globulin 0,57±0,26g/dL, and gama globulin 1,16±0,30g/dL, and A:G ratio 0,58±0,16, while for the captives ones these values were: total protein 4,98±1,31g/dL, albumin 1,64±0,55g/dL, alfa-1, alfa-2, beta and gama globulin 0,39±0,24g/dL, 0,68±0,44g/dL, 0,68±0,13g/dL and 1,59±0,31g/dL, respectively; A:G ratio 0,49±0,08. The total protein values were significantly higher (p<0,05) for the captivity turtles; this fact may be related with the high protein feeding. Differences were also identified for the gamma globulin for the free-ranging, which presented lower values, probably due to reproductive stress and immunosuppression. Despite these considerations, the electrophoresis profile for the two loggerhead turtles groups were similar in general.

The behaviour of the non conserved and 98% glycerin conserved specimens for periods of 30, 60 and 90 days of bovine diaphragma's tendinous center, fibrous pericardium and parietal peritoneum submitted to mechanical tests of traction, was observed in ten bovines between 30 months and 36 months of age, crossbreeds, males and females, collecting fragments of these aforesaid membranes in each animal. The diaphragma's tendinous center and parietal peritoneum did not suffered significant modification (p>;0.05) in the values of tension when compared to the resistance tests of traction of non conserved and 98% glycerin conserved membranes. However, all the evaluated tissues showed significant increase (p£0.05) of the elongation values when conserved in 98% glycerin for until 90 days. It was also observed that fibrous pericardium is the one which supports greaters tensions. So, it to was concluded, that glycerin is efficient to the conservation of biological membranes besides modifying its mechanical properties.

Thirty-six castrated males and females Landrace x Large-White pigs (74 to 149 days of age) were randomly allotted to two environmental conditions: high temperature in a climatic chamber (HT; 22.2 to 32.8 ºC) and comfort temperature in a conventional shed (CT; 17.6 to 26.6 ºC), with night-and-day variations. Blood samples were weekly collected from animals of both HT and CT conditions for determination of serum cortisol levels. Cortisol levels of both sexes were not different, and there was no interaction with environmental temperature. Pigs of HT showed significantly higher average cortisol level (P<0.01) than the CT ones (7.06 and 4.82 mg/dL, respectively). Increasing in serum cortisol was continuous and linear (P<0.05) during the experimental period, suggesting the cortisol as a possible indicator of the heat stress in growing-finishing pigs.

Considered as one of the main agents of the tripanossomiases, Trypanosoma evansi causes a disease generically know as "surra", with wide geographic occurence. This work has the aim to study the electrophoretic profile of the acute phase proteins of goats, experimentally infected with T. evansi. Ten crossbread female goats, around 4 months of age, clinically healthy and serum negative for the presence of antibodies anti-T. evansi (IFAT) were used. The animals were divided in two groups: six were inoculated (G1) intravenously with 2,38 x 10(6) tripomastigotes of T. evansi and four were kept as non-infected controls. The blood for serum was collected daily until the 14 days after inoculation (DAI), weekly up to the 98th DAI and every two weeks up to the 364th DAI. The serum proteins were separacted by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDSPAGE). Twenty-one proteins were found in the serum of the goats, eight were nominally identified; phosphorylase, transferrin, albumin, antitrypsin, acid glicoprotein, haptoglobin, hemoglobin, and light chain immunoglobulin.

Aiming to assess the influence of physiological puerperium and postpuerperal phase on the lipid profile of health cows 104 blood samples were collected by coccygeal vein puncture of Holstein cows raised in the State of São Paulo. Lipid profile assessment was measured by serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, nonesterified fatty acids, âhydroxybutyrate and plasma glucose level. With regard to puerperium and post-puerperal phase influence on the lipid profile, gradual increase of serum cholesterol level and decrease of nonesterified fatty acids were observed with puerperal evolution. The values of cholesterol and nonsterified fatty acids were stabilized during post-puerperal phase (greater than 45 day postparturm).

The aim of this study was to improve the clinical evaluation in sea turtles by analyzing the hemogram and serum biochemistry in female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), free-ranging (n=22) nesting in the north coast of Bahia and in the animals captivity (n=5) in the visitor center of the Projeto Tamar-ICMBio, in Praia do Forte, Bahia, Brazil. The values obtained were compared between the two groups and it was observed that there was statistically significant difference (p<0,05) for the relative and absolute eosinophil count, relative monocyte count, total serum protein, globulin, glucose, cholesterol and aspartate aminotransferase. The results variation is probably related to the differences in environmental, nutritional and reproductive conditions.

A composição do leite bem como a contagem de células somáticas (CCS) são requisitos para avaliar a qualidade do leite e mastite em rebanhos caprinos. Estudos conduzidos indicaram que a composição do leite varia entre os rebanhos devido a fatores genéticos, alimentação, sistema de produção, estágio de lactação, ano e estação do ano. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a CCS e outros indicadores de qualidade (gordura, proteína, lactose e sólidos totais) no leite de rebanhos caprinos. A influência do rebanho e estação do ano sobre a composição bem como a influência de rebanho, tipo de ordenha e estação do ano sobre a CCS também foi avaliado. Treze rebanhos caprinos localizados no Brasil, com aproximadamente 1.400 matrizes foram incluídos no estudo, Sendo ordenhados manualmente e os outros sete com equipamento de ordenha. As amostras de leite dos rebanhos foram coletadas semanalmente durante duas lactações. O total de 913 amostras foi analisado no equipamento automatizado. A média dos valores percentuais para gordura, proteína, lactose e sólidos totais foram, respectivamente; 3,44; 2,95; 4,45 e 11,69. O efeito de rebanho e estação do ano foi significante para todos os componentes do leite e CCS. A média para CCS de todos 13 rebanhos foi 779.000 células/ml. As médias para CCS dos rebanhos ordenhados manualmente e mecanicamente foram, respectivamente, 1.121.000 e 848.000 células/ml. Em ambos grupos, a CCS foi menor no inverno e maior no outono. As características de rebanho foram responsáveis pela maior variação dos componentes e CCS no leite de rebanhos caprinos.

This study was made in a wildlife preserve from Argentina where a previous tuberculosis report in Felis concolor has been done. The aim was to identify mycobacterial species isolated from the orpharynx of five American lions using bacteriological and molecular biology techniques on cases with nonspecific clinical signals. Samples were collected after sedation. They were treated in order to isolate Mycobacterium. Bacteriological differentiation was made using biochemical tests. Polymerase chain reaction has been performed to detect hsp65, IS6110 and IS1081. Acid fast bacilli were present in four specimens and from them were isolated slowly growing mycobacteria. The strains were differentiated as M. gordonae in two cases and M. simiae, M. scrofulaceum and M. avium/intracellulare in one case each other. The strains were identified as M. gordonae in three cases and M. avium III or M. simiae in two by PRA. The role of feral cats in the epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases remains to be further investigated.

Pigs are quite sensitive to high environmental temperatures and the thermoregulation mechanisms represent great expenses in energy for heating loss, reducing animal well-being and production performance, and altering carcass quality. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of sex and dietary energy level in growing-finishing pigs submitted to characteristic seasonal variation of temperature in subtropical humid climate, and to propose a mathematical model to predict growth performance and carcass characteristics. Twenty-eight crossbred growing-finishing pigs were randomly allotted to twelve treatments, in a 2x2x3 factorial trial (2 sex; 2 environmental conditions, and 3 energy levels). Heat stress condition (climatic chamber) showed temperatures of 31 ºC at 7:00 and 22ºC at 17:00 (maximum of 33 ºC) and thermal comfort condition (stall) showed temperatures of 18 ºC at 7:00 and 24 ºC (maximum of 27 ºC). Pigs were fed ad libitum with diets containing 12.2 (low), 13.6 (medium) and 15.0 (high) MJ ME/ kg DM. Voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight were higher (P<0.01) at thermal comfort condition and were influenced by sex (P<0.01) in growing pigs. Feed to gain ratio decreased as the energy level increased (P<0.01), with values of 2.67, 2.59, and 2.32 (12.2, 13.6, and 15.0 MJ ME/kg DM, respectively). There was energy level and sex interaction only for daily weight gain. Regarding finishing pigs, environmental conditions also showed effects (P<0.01) on voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight. Performance of pigs was better at thermal comfort condition. Feed to gain ratio values were 3.55, 3.42, and 2.95 for low, medium, and high energy level, respectively. Interactions between energy level and sex were observed for voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight (P<0.05). Carcass yield and quality were affected by environmental condition and dietary energy level. Both hot and cold carcass weight increased as energy of ration increased. Cold carcass weight increased by 1.142 kg/MJ EM whereas backfat thickness was up to 252 mm/MJ EM. Longissimus thoracis muscle thickness was around 16 mm smaller in pigs under heat stress, but lean content was 2.68% higher in those animals. Regression equations were proposed to predict the performance values in the different situations studied.

The intimal layer of the thoracic and abdominal aortic segments of Cebus apella monkey presented an evident inner elastic lamina. The medial layer of the thoracic aorta segment showed a basic lamellar elastic pattern having a medium average of 23.12 lamellae per analyzed cut sections, which appeared disposed circular and oblique relatively to the aortic lumen. The aortic adventitial layer, at this level, was formed mainly by collagen fibers, irregularly disposed between elastic fibers and smooth muscle cells. The aortic abdominal portion, in this monkey, at the suprarenal level presented a medium number of 19.12 elastic lamellae which showed a relatively disorganized and broken up pattern. At the infrarenal level the aortic medium layer showed a medium average of 11.75 elastic lamellae and next to the emission of the internal iliac arteries it was found only a middle average of 8.37 elastic lamellae intermingled with smooth muscle cells and collagen fibers whose concentration seemed to be increased next to the adventitial layer. The external elastic lamina was only present in the more distal aortic segment near to the emission of the internal iliac arteries.

The growing interest in the use of coronary arteries of goats in researches to posterior application in human hearts justifying the more detailed anatomical knowledge of this arteries mainly to evaluate their similarities and differences with the human arterial pattern. However, we not found anatomical studies on indicators of coronary dominance in goats. In the literature, we found only the definition of three kinds of pattern in human hearts: right dominance, balanced and left dominance. To this work we used 31 goats hearts, of both sexes and fixed and conserved in formalin at 10%. The branches of coronary arteries were dissected with special attention to the levels considered as references. The branch present in the interventricular subsinuosis sulcus had origin in the circumflex branch that is a branch of the left coronary artery. The interventricular subsinuosis branch presented at least a little branch that exceeded the crux cordis. The region of the apex presented predominance of the left coronary artery branches: interventricular paraconalis and interventricular subsinuosis. The left coronary artery, through their branches, also dominated in total length and the issue to ventricular branches including for the right ventricle. Using references to various criteria including, those proposed for this research, we find that in goats hearts the arterial pattern is left dominance. The diversity in relation to the arterial pattern between goats and humans requires that in the experiments performed in the coronary goats, this important difference is observed.

Twelve adult Santa Inês crossbred rams with similar weight and age employed in a randomized design for 60 days period to evaluate three treatments: A. 100% of degradable protein requirement (control); B. 100% of degradable protein requirement + 3% urea + inorganic sulphur (99%S) and C. 100% of degradable protein requirement +3% urea + organic sulphur (21,5% S). Every week seminal collections were made through artificial vagina; blood collections were made to analyze plasma N-ureic levels and measured live weight and scrotal circumference. In semen samples were studied volume, microscopic waves, vigor, motility, concentration, total sperm per ejaculate, total feasible sperm per ejaculate, membrane sperm integrity, acrosomal integrity, percent of abnormal spermatozoa and N-ureic level in seminal plasma. Treatments experimental animals receiving presented blood and seminal plasma N-ureic levels higher than the ones of control treatment (p < 0,05). There was significant difference between organic and inorganic sources of sulphur in the following semen characteristics (p < 0,05): treatment C presented microscopic waves (4,57), motility (85,69%), vigor (4,66) and total sperm per ejaculate (9,02 x 10(9)) higher than treatment B; and the percentage of secondary sperm abnormality (5,37%) was lower than treatment B.

This study was accomplished to verify the effect of the differents dietary relationship metabolizable energy:crude protein and the initial weight of chicks on the performance and yield of carcass in broilers. There were used 640 female chickens of the commercial ancestry (Cobb). A completely randomized trial was applied, in factorial outline 2x2, with two levels of chicks’ weight (38g and 46g) and two levels of relationship ME:CP (High - 149,8; 174,4 e; 194,4 and, Low - 130,0; 150,0 e; 166,7, for the initial, growth and end ration, respectively), totalizing 4 treatments, each one of them with 4 repetitions of 40 chicks, ranging until 48 days of age. There were evaluated the Feed Intake (FI), Weight Gain (WG), Feed Conversion (FC) and Mortality, during all the experimental period and, performance and chemical composition of carcass in the end of the experimental period. There was no significant difference (P>;0,05) in feed intake and weight gain in the tested treatments. However, there was significant difference (P<0,05) at the FC, when the broilers were fed with Low Relationship ME:CP ration and showed the worst result, independent of the initial weight, during the 1 to 35 days of age. In the composition of carcass there was significant effect (P<0,05), where the high initial weight broilers fed with High Relationship ME:CP ration showed better results.

Twelve yearling Girolando steers never fed urea before were assigned randomly in two groups of six animals each. In both groups were administered intraruminally a single dose (0.5 g/kg BW) of extruded or prilled urea in order to induce ammonia poisoning. Plasma or serum levels of ammonia, urea, creatinine, glucose, L-lactate were determined. Hematocrit values were also recorded. Blood samples were taken before the administration of urea, at the onset of muscle tremors, at the first convulsive episode, and 240 minutes after the beginning of the urea feeding. Hyperammonemia already occured at the time of the first muscle tremors. Glucose and L-lactate levels were higher at the peak of the intoxication (convulsive episode), which were higher compared to the beginning of the experiment. Endogenous production of urea increased during the experiment due to hyperammonemia (r = 0.57), reaching peak levels at the end of the trials. Higher ammonia values lead to increased concentrations of L-lactate, glucose, urea, creatinine and hematocrit values. These results showed that high levels of ammonia increased glyconeogenesis, anaerobic glycolysis, the endogenous synthesis of urea and the level of dehydration. L-lactate and glucose were the best variables to monitor biochemical changes in cases of ammonia poisoning.

Brazilian Spotter Fever (BSF) is a tick-borne zoonosis transmitted by at least two tick species: Amblyomma cajennense and Amblyomma aureolatum. In areas where the tick vector is A. cajennense, equines are important for being considered primary hosts of this tick species. A. aureolatum, whose primary hosts include birds, some rodent species, and dogs, is incriminated as vector in the metropolitan region of São Paulo city. This work aimed to detect antibodies reactive to Rickettsia rickettsii in equines sent to the Zoonosis Control Center of São Paulo Municipality (CCZ/SP) during the period from 2003 to 2005. After blood collection, sera were obtained by centrifugation and tested by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and animals were considered positive if sera presented titers >; 64. During three years, 363 equine sera sent to CCZ/SP, were tested by IFA, and 64 showed reactive: 6 (2003), 16 (2004) and 42 (2005). The end-point titers varied from 64 to 1.024. The results demonstrate a low percentage (17.6%) of reactive animals, when compared with literature data from BSF-endemic areas where A. cajennense is the vector, suggesting that this tick is not a main vector in the study area

In vampire bats, food sharing behavior would contribute for the oral transmission of rabies virus among the roostmates. To test this hypothesis, 10 captive Desmodus rotundus bats were fed defibrinated swine blood containing mice brain suspension of PV-strain of rabies virus. Other 10 bats were fed blood mixed with a mice brain suspension of T-9/95 vampire-bat-field isolate of rabies virus. Another group of 10 bats was inoculated intramuscularly with a mice brain suspension of the T-9/95 isolate. Other 20 bats were maintained without treatment and fed defibrinated swine blood for 158 days. All animals found dead during the observation period or those sacrificed at the end of the experiment were necropsied and specimens such as the brain and non-nervous tissues were collected for rabies examination. Four bats inoculated intramuscularly developed clinical rabies, with signs lasting 1-2 days, and the survival periods ranged from 11-14 days. The initial rabies diagnosis was based on direct fluorescent antibody (dFA) and mouse inoculation test (MIT) performed only on brain specimens, and subsequently, brains and the non-nervous materials were further reexamined by means of dFA, MIT and heminested-polymerase chain reaction (ht-PCR) technique. The intake of the PV-strain caused rabies in 2 bats, with survival period of 25 and 32 days, while the three bats ingesting the T-9/95 isolate presented periods of 26-31 days. Although discrepant results were found among the diagnostic tests, viruses have disseminated to the central nervous system and other organs, as seen in bats inoculated intramuscularly.

The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. in Didelphis albiventris and D. aurita in three regions of the state of São Paulo. Ninety-eight dead Didelphis were employed in this study, among which 66 were D. aurita and 32 D. albiventris. Twenty-eight living D. aurita and five D. albiventris were also analyzed. Flotation-centrifugation in sucrose solution was used in the isolation of Sarcocystis spp. of the small intestine and feces. Sarcocystis spp. was found in the small intestines of 9.1% of the D. aurita (6/66); in four of them, the feces were also positives. There was no statistically significant difference between males and females (P= 0,522), or among samples that came from different regions of the state of São Paulo (P= 0,627), regarding the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. However, there was a significant difference of positive samples harvested from captive compared to free-ranging animals (P = 0.009), and between adults and offspring (P= 0,004). Adults were more affected by the parasite than the offspring, and only free-ranging animals were positives. From the samples collected from 28 living D. aurita, Sarcocystis spp. was found in 7.1% (2/28) of them. A total of 32 D. albiventris were studied, none of which had positive tests for Sarcocystis spp. in samples of intestine of feces, and five animals live were also negative. We conclude that the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. in D. aurita and D. albiventris in these three regions of the state of São Paulo is low in the conditions assessed in this study

It was used 504 (five hundred four) 1 day old male chicks, of a commercial broiler line (Ag Ross 308), distributed in 12 treatments, with 6 replicates per treatment. The experimental design was casually blocked and treatments were organized in a 2x2x3 factorialarrangement: two phosphorus levels (0.45 and 0.34%), two phytase inclusion levels (0 and 1200 FTU/kg) and three protein levels (22.5; 20.5 and 18.5%). Body weight gain was observed in birds fed diets with phytase supplementation although it hasn't affected the feedconversion ratio. Feed intake wasn't affected by the low protein levels with added phytase. Crude protein excreted was lower with phytasesupplementation (33.36 vs 31.83%). Phytase enzyme affected dairy feed intake and body weight gain. Crude protein crescent levels ondiet caused increased crude protein excretion, and phytase supplementation was efficient reducing crude protein excreted

Foram utilizados 64 leitões, submetidos a oito tratamentos: ração com leite em pó (LP), três rações com níveis crescentes de plasma suíno (PS), três rações com níveis crescentes de ovo inteiro (OI) e ração com alto nível de farelo de soja (FS). Foi coletado sangue dos animais aos 27 e 34 dias de idade para avaliação dos parâmetros sangüíneos, e aos 28 e 35 dias de idade quatro animais por tratamento foram abatidos para coleta do pâncreas e posterior determinação do peso absoluto (PA) e peso relativo (PR) do pâncreas e da atividade da tripsina (AT). Os tratamentos não influenciaram significativamente o PA e a AT. Verificou-se efeito significativo dos níveis crescentes de PS, com redução linear dos leucócitos e aumento do volume globular, aos 27 dias; enquanto aos 34 dias, observou-se aumento linear das hemácias. Aos 27 dias, os animais arraçoados com níveis de PS apresentaram menor percentagem de eosinófilos do que aqueles arraçoados com níveis de OI. A utilização de plasma suíno promoveu menor estímulo à resposta imune, enquanto que a utilização de ovo inteiro promoveu maior resposta humoral dos leitões.