Effects of a mixed administration of selenium and diazinon on the ultrastructure of hepatocytes in rat

Sodium selenite administered to rats in drinking water, at a dose of 0.40 ppm for 12 days, caused proliferation of the rough and smooth endoplasmatic reticulum and their necrosis. These changes were most intensive 24 hours p.i. and persisted until 72 hours p.i. They were accompanied by mitochondria intumeseence, their partial degradation and glycogen atrophy, most noticeable 72 hours p.i. Diazinon adrninisteredper as at a dose of 40 mg/kg b.m. twice at 6-day intervals caused necrosis of the rough and smooth endoplasmatic reticulum. The changes set in at a slower pace than following selenium administration and none were observed 14 days p.i.Treatment with sodium selenite and subsequent exposure to diazinon induced ultrastructural changes in the rat hepatocytes, which were more intensive and accompanied by an intumeseenee of Golgi complex and cell vacuolisation. In these cases the submicroscopic changes were most noticeable 1 and 3 days p.i. Necrotic hepatocytes were observed 14 days p.i

Diurnal rhythms of pinealocyte ultrastructure, pineal serotonin content and plasma melatonin level in the domestic pig.

The study was conducted to investigate diurnal changes in pinealocyte ultrastructure, pineal serotonin content and plasma melatonin concentration in the domestic pig. The immature pigs (n=24) were kept under a cycle of 12 h light : 12 h dark, with a photophase between 0800 and 2000. During the photophase the animals were exposed to direct sunlight. After four weeks the gilts were slaughtered at 0900, 1400, 2100 and 0200. The pineals were removed and divided into two parts - one for quantitative ultrastructural study (by a point count method) and one for serotonin assay. Simultaneously, blood samples were taken for melatonin assay. The relative volume of mitochondria in pinealocyte perikarya was significantly higher at 1400 than at 0200 and 0900 as well as at 2100 than at 0200. The relative volume of Golgi apparatus was higher at 0900 and 1400 than at 0200. The relative volume of dense bodies of the MBB-1 type in pinealocyte perikarya was significantly lower at 1400 and 2100 than at 0900. In contrast, the relative volume of MBB-2 was higher at 1400 than at 0900 and 0200. The numerical density of DCV in perikarya was significantly higher at 0200 than at 1400. No significant differences were found in rough endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes and multivesicular bodies. The pineal serotonin content showed a prominent rhythm with the maximum at 1400. The plasma melatonin concentration was significantly higher at 0200 than at 0900, 1400 and 2100. The obtained results demonstrate that both pinealocyte ultrastructure and pineal biochemistry in the pig undergo significant changes in the course of the diurnal rhythm

Тhe effect of Cr substitution for Fe on ferroelectric and magnetic properties of PbFe0.5Nb0.5O3, PbFe0.5Sb0.5O3 and BiFeO3 multiferroics

Проведены диэлектрические и мессбауэровские исследования сегнетоэлектрических и магнитных фазовых переходов в твердых растворах PbFe0.5-xCrxNb0.5O3, BiFe1-xCrxO3, PbFe0.5-xCrxSb0.5O3. Во всех этих системах замещение железа хромом разрушает как сегнетоэлектрический, так и магнитный дальний порядок.PbFe0.5-xCrxNb0.5O3, BiFe1-xCrxO3, PbFe0.5-xCrxSb0.5O3 solid solutions have been carried out. In all the systems studied Cr substitution for Fe destroys both ferroelectric and magnetic long-range order.Работа выполнена при поддержке Российского Фонда Фундаментальных Исследований (грант 16-52-0072 Бел_a) и Белорусского Республиканского Фонда Фундаментальных Исследований (грант T16R-079)

The Effects of Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone on the Pig Large Intestine. A Light and Electron Microscopy Study

The contamination of feed with mycotoxins results in reduced growth, feed refusal, immunosuppression, and health problems. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are among the most important mycotoxins. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of low doses of these mycotoxins on the histological structure and ultrastructure of the large intestine in the pig. The study was performed on 36 immature gilts of mixed breed (White Polish Big × Polish White Earhanging), which were divided into four groups administrated per os with ZEN at 40 µg/kg BW, DON at 12 µg/kg BW, a mixture of ZEN (40 µg/kg BW) and DON (12 µg/kg BW) or a placebo. The pigs were killed by intravenous overdose of pentobarbital after one, three, and six weeks of treatment. The cecum, ascending and descending colon samples were prepared for light and electron microscopy. Administration of toxins did not influence the architecture of the mucosa and submucosa in the large intestine. ZEN and ZEN + DON significantly decreased the number of goblet cells in the cecum and descending colon. The mycotoxins changed the number of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the large intestine, which usually increased in number. However, this effect differed between the intestine segments and toxins. Mycotoxins induced some changes in the ultrastructure of the mucosal epithelium. They did not affect the expression of proliferative cell nuclear antigen and the intestinal barrier permeability. The obtained results indicate that mycotoxins especially ZEN may influence the defense mechanisms of the large intestine

The Effects of Low Doses of Two Fusarium Toxins, Zearalenone and Deoxynivalenol, on the Pig Jejunum. A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

Immature gilts were administered per os with zearalenone (ZEN) at 40 μg/kg BW (group Z, n = 9), deoxynivalenol (DON) at 12 μg/kg BW (group D, n = 9), a mixture of ZEN and DON (group M, n = 9) or a placebo (group C, n = 9) over a period of six weeks. The pigs were sacrificed after one, three, or six weeks of the treatment (12 pigs per each time-point). Histological investigations revealed an increase in the mucosal thickness and the crypt depth as well as a decrease in the ratio of the villus height to the crypt depth in groups D and M after six weeks of exposure to the mycotoxins. The number of goblet cells in the villus epithelium was elevated in groups Z and M after one week and in group D after three weeks. The administration of ZEN increased the lymphocyte number in the villus epithelium after 1 week and the plasma cell quantity in the lamina propria after one, three, and six weeks of the experiment. DON treatment resulted in an increase in the lymphocyte number in the villus epithelium and the lamina propria after six weeks, and in the plasma cell quantity in the lamina propria after one, three, and six weeks of exposure. In group M, lymphocyte counts in the epithelium and the lamina propria increased significantly after six weeks. Neither mycotoxin induced significant adverse changes in the ultrastructure of the mucosal epithelium and the lamina propria or in the intestinal barrier permeability. Our results indicate that immune cells are the principal target of low doses of ZEN and DON

The low doses effect of experimental zearalenone (ZEN) intoxication on the presence of Ca2+ in selected ovarian cells from pre-pubertal bitches

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of 42-day ZEN intoxication on the presence of Ca2+ in selected ovarian cells from beagle bitches, using the potassium pyroantimonate (PPA) method. Samples were collected from 30 clinically healthy, pre-pubertal, genetically homogeneous animals. The bitches were divided into three groups of 10 animals each: experimental group I - 50 μg ZEN/kg BW (100% NOAEL) administered once daily per os; experimental group II - 75 μg ZEN/kg BW (150% NOAEL) administered once daily per os; control group - placebo containing no ZEN administered per os. An electron microscopic analysis revealed that cells died due to apoptosis, depending on the ZEN dose and the type of cells exposed to intoxication. Lower ZEN doses led to apoptosis-like changes in the cells. Cell death was a consequence of excess Ca2+ accumulation in the mitochondria, followed by cell dysfunction and a decrease in or the absence of mitochondrial metabolic activity in oocytes, follicle cells and interstitial cells in experimental bitches

Neuropeptide Y as a presynaptic modulator of norepinephrine release from the sympathetic nerve fibers in the pig pineal gland

Norepinephrine (NE) released from the sympathetic nerve endings is the main neurotransmitter controlling melatonin synthesis in the mammalian pineal gland. Although neuropeptide Y (NPY) co-exists with NE in the pineal sympathetic nerve fibers it also occurs in a population of non-adrenergic nerve fibers located in this gland. The role of NPY in pineal physiology is still enigmatic. The present study characterizes the effect of NPY on the depolarization-evoked 3H-NE release from the pig pineal explants. The explants of the pig pineal gland were loaded with 3H-NE in the presence of pargyline and superfused with Tyrode medium. They were exposed twice to the modified Tyrode medium containing 60 mM of K+ to evoke the 3H-NE release via depolarization. NPY, specific agonists of Y1- and Y2-receptors and pharmacologically active ligands of a2-adrenoceptors were added to the medium before and during the second depolarization. The radioactivity was measured in medium fractions collected every 2 minutes during the superfusion. NPY (0.1 - 10 μM) significantly decreased the depolarization-induced 3H-NE release. Similar effect was observed after the treatment with Y2-agonist: NPY13-36, but not with Y1-agonist: [Leu31,Pro34]-NPY. The tritium overflow was lower in the explants exposed to the 5 μM NPY and 1 μM rauwolscine than to rauwolscine only. The effects of 5 μM NPY and 0.05 μM UK 14,304 on the depolarization-evoked 3H-NE release were additive. The results show that NPY is involved in the regulation of NE release from the sympathetic terminals in the pig pineal gland, inhibiting this process via Y2-receptors

The Effect of Different Rearing Conditions on Muscle Characteristics in Broilers of Two Commercial Lines — A Light Microscopic Study

A comparative histological and morphometric study based on selected skeletal muscles musculus pectoralis superficialis and musculus gastrocnemius in two lines of meat-type chickens, Anak Titan and Isa 215, was performed to detect potential differences regarding the effect of three production systems (chickens raised indoors in a conventional facility, indoors with limited outdoor access and outdoors with an umbrella roof) on muscle structure. The muscle fiber size was found to be affected by the production system, while the impact of the breeding line was less apparent. Disseminated fiber degeneration occurred more frequently in both examined muscles of Isa chickens raised outdoors. Necrotic fibers were very often infiltrated by mononuclear cells and underwent phagocytosis. The intensity of abnormal changes in muscle structure, including tiny fibers, fibers with hyaline cytoplasm and fibers with central nuclei, was substantially higher in chickens having outdoor access. This trend was particularly noticeable in musculus pectoralis superficialis and within the Isa 215 line. This indicates that it is more difficult for chickens of this line to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Significant changes observed in both muscles of birds raised outdoors can be considered highly undesirable with respect to the breeding objectives and breeding strategies for meat-type chickens. Environmental factors were found to play a more important role in chickens of the highly selected Isa 215 line, thus pointing to their worse adaptability to the less stable outdoor conditions. Furthermore, the present results suggest that the indoor housing system with access to an outdoor area can be an alternative to the traditional production system with regard to Anak Titan chickens