Andrological, pathologic, morphometric, and ultrasonographic findings in rams experimentally infected with Brucella ovis

AbstractBrucella ovis is considered the most important infectious cause of reproductive disorders in sheep. The disease is characterized by epididymitis, subfertility and infertility in rams. B. ovis occasionally results in abortion in ewes, as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate kinetic changes in the reproductive organs of rams experimentally infected with B. ovis. Nine rams were experimentally inoculated intrapreputially with 2mL of a suspension containing 1.2×109CFU (colony-forming units)/mL of B. ovis (strain ATCC25840). In addition, 50μL of a suspension containing 1.2×1010CFU/mL of the same B. ovis strain was inoculated into each conjunctival sac, resulting in 3.6×109CFU total per ram. Six of nine infected rams had developed clinical changes in the tail of the epididymis at 30 days post-infection (dpi), but these changes regressed in 50% of these rams. Ultrasound demonstrated an increase in the area of the tail of the epididymis (P<0.001), reduction in the area of the testes (P<0.001), and an increased length and width of the seminal vesicles (P<0.001) during the course of infection. A sperm granuloma was diagnosed on the basis of ultrasonography findings. Microscopically, there was epididymitis, testicular degeneration, and seminal vesiculitis. Inflammatory cells were detected in the semen even before the development of epididymitis. Moreover, inflammatory cells were also found in the semen of asymptomatic rams, indicating that the presence of leukocytes in the ejaculate is a valuable method for screening potential carriers of infections in the genital tract

Performance of soybean seedlings upon nutrient application by seed coating

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different seed coatings consisting of various combinations of three nutrients (calcium, magnesium and silicon) on two soybean cultivars (BRS 243 RR and CD 233 RR). Dolomitic limestone and aluminum silicate were chosen as the nutrient sources. Leaf area, plant height, shoots dry matter, crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate were the studied variables, evincing that the seed coating that comprised calcium, magnesium and silicon led to better performance in terms of growth rates 30 days after emergence. Significant differences in the response to the seed coatings were also observed between the two studied soybean genotypes

Histological evaluation of the liver of mice with sarcoma-180 treated with salazinic acid

Abstract Many of the drugs used to fight cancer cells induce various damage causing hepatotoxic effects which are characterized by tissue changes. The aim of the study is to know the possible effects of salazinic acid on livers of mice exposed to Sacoma-180. The tumor was grown in the animals in ascitic form and inoculated subcutaneously in the axillary region of the mouse developing the solid tumor. Treatment with salazinic acid (25 and 50 mg/kg) and 5-Fluorouracil (20 mg/kg) started 24-hours after inoculation and was performed for 7 days. To verify these effects, the qualitative method of histological criteria investigated in liver tissue was used. It was observed that all treated groups showed an increase of pyknotic nuclei in relation to the negative control. There was an increase in steatosis in all groups compared to the negative control but there was a decrease in the groups treated with salazinic acid in the 5-Fluorouracil. There was no necrosis in the salazinic acid treated groups. However, this effect was seen in 20% of the positive control group. Therefore, it can be concluded that salazinic acid did not show hepatoprotective action on mice but demonstrated a decrease in steatosis and absence of tissue necrosis

Natural Probiotics and Nanomaterials: A New Functional Food

Natural probiotics are functional foods with several biological properties and nutritional value inherent to their chemical composition and can play a potentially beneficial role in reducing the risk of chronic degenerative diseases. In order to improve the stability of these compounds, increase the encapsulating power, delay oxidation, increase their effectiveness, control their release and improve the bioavailability of their combination with nanomaterials is a potential tool in the food area enabling the development of new products with functional and nutraceutical characteristics. In addition, the study of nanomaterials in natural probiotics is rarely reported in the literature, being an area of paramount importance in the development of new functional foods. Therefore, in this chapter, a review of nanomaterials’ use in natural probiotics will be addressed to specify their advantages and methodologies of preparation and characterization