Dracontium Nivosum (lem.) G.h.zhu (araceae): Range Extension From Amazonia To A Brejo Forest Refugium In Northeast Brazil Confirmed

The 558 km range extension of the Amazonian aroid Dracontium nivosum (Lem.) G.H.Zhu into semiarid Northeast Brazil is confirmed. This species occurs in Ceará in threatened fragments of brejo forest at ca. 580–870 m elevation. An illustrated taxonomic description is provided. The species’ Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is estimated as 356,392 km2 (meets Least Concern); the Area of Occupancy (AOO), 60 km2 using a 2×2 km cell (Endangered). Within Ceará the EOO is 41.4 km2 (Critically Endangered) and the AOO is 16 km2 (Endangered). © 2016 Check List and Authors.12

Rapid plant DNA and RNA extraction protocol using a bench drill

Plant DNA and RNA extraction methods are well established, with a wide range of protocols, depending on the purposes of each laboratory/research. Nowadays, quick, inexpensive and easy plant DNA and RNA extraction methods are highly sought after. We developed an optimized protocol for plant DNA and RNA extraction that uses an inexpensive bench drill and plastic bags and does not require liquid nitrogen. DNA from leaves and RNA from leaves and roots of banana, pineapple, citrus, papaya, passion fruit and cassava, were extracted using a basic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide method. Both nucleic acids were quantified and evaluated for quality based on agarose gel electrophoresis. The DNA and RNA extractions were successful for all species, and RNA quality in pellets was maintained after storage at room temperature for three weeks. This protocol can reduce costs considerably in laboratories with ongoing routine activities of DNA and RNA extraction for genetic diversity and gene expression analyses, where other conventional methods have not been successful due to explant, condition of samples and quantity and quality of nucleic acids. This is especially relevant for many laboratories in developing countries where the cost and availability of liquid nitrogen may be a constraint

Corrosion behaviour of PEEK or β-TCP-impregnated Ti6Al4V SLM structures targeting biomedical applications

This work was supported by FCT through the grants PD/BD/140202/2018, SFRH/BD/140191/2018 and SFRH/BD/128657/2017, and the projects PTDC/EMSTEC/ 5422/2014 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000018-HAMaBICo. Additionally, this work was supported by FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2019. F. TOPTAN is grateful for the financial support through the M-ERA-NET/0001/2015 project (FCT).Ti6Al4V cellular structures were produced by selective laser melting (SLM) and then filled either with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) or PEEK (poly-ether-ether-ketone) through powder metallurgy techniques, to improve osteoconductivity and wear resistance. The corrosion behavior of these structures was explored considering its importance for the long-term performance of implants. Results revealed that the incorporation of open cellular pores induced higher electrochemical kinetics when being compared with dense structures. The impregnation of β-TCP and PEEK led to the creation of voids or gaps between the metallic matrix and the impregnated material which also influenced the corrosion behavior of the cellular structures.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A new analysis of the GJ581 extrasolar planetary system

We have done a new analysis of the available observations for the GJ581 exoplanetary system. Today this system is controversial due to choices that can be done in the orbital determination. The main ones are the ocurrence of aliases and the additional bodies - the planets f and g - announced in Vogt et al. 2010. Any dynamical study of exoplanets requires the good knowledge of the orbital elements and the investigations involving the planet g are particularly interesting, since this body would lie in the Habitable Zone (HZ) of the star GJ581. This region,for this system, is very attractive of the dynamical point of view due to several resonances of two and three bodies present there. In this work, we investigate the conditions under which the planet g may exist. We stress the fact that the planet g is intimately related with the orbital elements of the planet d; more precisely, we conclude that it is not possible to disconnect its existence from the determination of the eccentricity of the planet d. Concerning the planet f, we have found one solution with period $\approx 450$ days, but we are judicious about any affirmation concernig this body because its signal is in the threshold of detection and the high period is in a spectral region where the ocorruence of aliases is very common. Besides, we outline some dynamical features of the habitable zone with the dynamical map and point out the role played by some resonances laying there.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Wilson chains are not thermal reservoirs

Wilson chains, based on a logarithmic discretization of a continuous spectrum, are widely used to model an electronic (or bosonic) bath for Kondo spins and other quantum impurities within the numerical renormalization group method and other numerical approaches. In this short note we point out that Wilson chains can not serve as thermal reservoirs as their temperature changes by a number of order Delta E when a finite amount of energy Delta E is added. This proves that for a large class of non-equilibrium problems they cannot be used to predict the long-time behavior.Comment: 2 page

Condicionamento Fisiológico De Sementes De Soja, Componentes De Produção E Produtividade

The Soybean crop is extremely relevant to the Brazilian economy. Priming is a technique that allows improvement of seed quality, especially those of low vigor. Vigor is defined as the ability of the seed to perform adequately when exposed to different environmental conditions. High vigor seeds generate plants with higher emergency speed and superior yield components, favoring into a higher seed yield. The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic behavior of soybean plants under field conditions originated from primed seeds with different level of vigor. Yield components and soybean yield were also evaluated. Seed priming in seed with medium vigor positively influences the components (seedling emergence, first pod height, number pods/plant, number of seeds/plant, number of seeds/ pod) and favored productivity of soybean cultivar ‘M7211RR’. Different levels of vigor of soybean seeds cause differences in the number of pods/plant. © 2015, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. All Rights Reserved.46222723

Nongenotoxic Effects And A Reduction Of The Dxr-induced Genotoxic Effects Of Helianthus Annuus Linné (sunflower) Seeds Revealed By Micronucleus Assays In Mouse Bone Marrow

Background: This research evaluated the genotoxicity of oil and tincture of H. annuus L. seeds using the micronucleus assay in bone marrow of mice. The interaction between these preparations and the genotoxic effects of doxorubicin (DXR) was also analysed (antigenotoxicity test) .Methods: Experimental groups were evaluated at 24-48 h post treatment with N-Nitroso-N-ethylurea (positive control - NEU), DXR (chemotherapeutic), NaCl (negative control), a sunflower tincture (THALS) and two sources of sunflower oils (POHALS and FOHALS). Antigenotoxic assays were carried out using the sunflower tincture and oils separately and in combination with NUE or DXR. Results: For THALS, analysis of the MNPCEs showed no significant differences between treatment doses (250-2,000 mg.Kg-1) and NaCl. A significant reduction in MNPCE was observed when THALS (2,000 mg.Kg-1) was administered in combination with DXR (5 mg.Kg-1). For POHALS or FOHALS, analysis of the MNPCEs also showed no significant differences between treatment doses (250-2,000 mg.Kg-1) and NaCl. However, the combination DXR + POHALS (2,000 mg.Kg-1) or DXR + FOHALS (2,000 mg.Kg-1) not contributed to the MNPCEs reduction. Conclusions: This research suggests absence of genotoxicity of THALS, dose-, time- and sex-independent, and its combination with DXR can reduce the genotoxic effects of DXR. POHALS and FOHALS also showed absence of genotoxicity, but their association with DXR showed no antigenotoxic effects. © 2014 Boriollo et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.14Sunflowers: Helianthus (Compositae-Heliantheae) (1976) Evolution of Crop Plants, pp. 36-38. , London: Longmans Green, Simmonds NW, Heiser CBEarle, F.R., Vanetten, C.H., Clark, T.F., Wolff, I.A., Compositional data on sunflower seed (1968) J Am Oil Chem Soc, 45, pp. 876-879Salunkhe, D.K., Chavan, J.K., Adsule, R.N., Kadam, S.S., World Oilseeds: Chemistry, Technology and Utilization (1992) Sunflower, , New York: Van Nostrand ReinholdGonzáles-Pérez, S., Vereijken, J.M., Sunflower proteins: Overview of their physicochemical, structural and functional properties (2007) J Sci Food Agric, 87, pp. 2173-2191Warner, K.A., Mounts, T.L., List, G.V.R., Effects of added tocopherols on the flavor stability of purified vegetable oils (1990) Inform, 1, p. 326Ito, T., Tamura, T., Matsumoto, T., Sterol Composition of 19 vegetable oils (1973) J Am Oil Chem Soc, 50, pp. 122-125. , 10.1007/BF02633564, 4707293Trost, V.W., Characterization of corn oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil nonpolar material (1989) J Am Oil Chem Soc, 66, pp. 325-333Dupont, H.L., Sullivan, P., Evans, D.G., Vollet, J.J., Ericsson, C.D., Ackerman, P.B., Tjoa, W.S., Prevention of traveler's diarrhea (emporiatric enteritis). Prophylactic administration of subsalicylate bismuth (1980) JAMA, 243, pp. 237-241. , 10.1001/jama.1980.03300290019013, 6985681Cowan, J.C., Key factors and recent advances in the flavor stability of soybean oil (1966) J Am Oil Chem Soc, 43, pp. 300A-302A. , 318A, 320, 10.1007/BF02682424, 5328054Bierenbaum, M.L., Fleischman, A.I., Dun, J., Arnold, J., Possible toxic waste factor in coronary heart disease (1975) Lancet, 1, pp. 1008-1010Purves, D., Harvey, C., Tweats, D., Lumley, C.E., Genotoxity testing: current practices and strategies used by the pharmaceutical industry (1995) Mutagenesis, 10, pp. 297-312. , 10.1093/mutage/10.4.297, 7476265Varanda, E.A., Atividade mutagênica de plantas medicinais (2006) Rev Ciênc Farm Básica Apl, 27, pp. 1-7Mateuca, R., Lombaert, N., Aka, P.V., Decordier, I., Kirsch-Volders, M., Chromosomal changes: induction, detection methods and applicability in human biomonitoring (2006) Biochimie, 88, pp. 1515-1531. , 10.1016/j.biochi.2006.07.004, 16919864Krishna, G., Hayashi, M., In vivo rodent micronucleus assay: protocol, conduct and data interpretation (2000) Mutat Res, 455, pp. 155-166. , 10.1016/S0027-5107(00)00117-2, 11113474(1997) OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals: Bacterial reverse mutation test, p. 471. , Paris, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(1997) OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals: In vitro mammalian chromosome aberration test, p. 473. , Paris, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(1997) OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals: Mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, p. 474. , Paris, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and DevelopmentAlves, J.M., Munari, C.C., Neto, M.A.B.M., Furtado, R.A., Senedese, J.M., Bastos, J.K., Tavares, D.C., In vivo protective effect of Copaifera langsdorffii hydroalcoholic extract on micronuclei induction by doxorubicin (2013) J Appl Toxicol, 33, pp. 854-860. , 10.1002/jat.2777, 22611044Indart, A., Viana, M., Clapés, S., Izquierdo, L., Bonet, B., Clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of lipid peroxidation products generated in culinary oils submitted to thermal stress (2007) Food Chem Toxicol, 45, pp. 1963-1967. , 10.1016/j.fct.2007.04.019, 17573172Venkatesh, P., Shantala, B., Jagetia, G.C., Rao, K.K., Baliga, M.S., Modulation of Doxorubicin-Induced Genotoxicity by Aegle marmelos in Mouse Bone Marrow: A Micronucleus Study (2007) Integr Cancer Ther, 6, pp. 42-53. , 10.1177/1534735406298302, 17351026(2010) Farmacopéia Brasileira, Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária - ANVISA/Fundação Oswaldo, , Brasília: Cruz - FIOCRUZ, BrasilSex differences in the micronucleus test (1986) Mutat Res, 172, pp. 151-163. , Collaborative Study Group for the Micronucleus Test (CSGMT)Zambrano, M.A., Targa, H.J., Rabello-Gay, M.N., Physiological saline solutions as a useful tool in micronucleus and metaphase slide preparations (1982) Stain Technol, 57, pp. 48-49Lewi, D.M., Hopp, H.E., Escandon, A.S., Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (2006) Methods Mol Biol, 343, pp. 291-297Heo, J.C., Woo, S.U.K., Kweon, M.A., Park, J.Y., Lee, H.K., Son, M., Rho, J.R., Lee, S.H., Aqueous extract of the Helianthus annuus seed alleviates asthmatic symptoms in vivo (2008) Int J Mol Med Chem, 21, pp. 57-61Cardoso, C.C., Rodrigues, K.L., Pichara, N.L., Dall'Aglio, R., Fiorini, J.E., Fraschini, F., Diana, G.M., Carvalho, J.C.T., Olio di girasole ozonizzato associate ad acido α-lipoico e a lattobacilli: studio pre-clinico dell'azione antiulcerosa, antinfiammatoria e antibatterica (2004) Farmaci, 28, pp. 97-110Ricardo, G.A., Zullyt, Z.R., Yilian, L., Hernández, F., Menéndez, S., Efecto del OLEOZON® frente a lesiones gástricas inducidas por indometacina en ratas (Effect of OLEOZON® on gastric lesions induced by indomethacin in rats) (2007) Revista electrónica de Veterinaria, 8, pp. 1-6Rodrigues, K.L., Cardoso, C.C., Caputo, L.R., Carvalho, J.C., Fiorini, J.E., Schneedorf, J.M., Cicatrizing and antimicrobial properties of an ozonised oil from sunflower seeds (2004) Inflammopharmacology, 3, pp. 261-270Akihisa, T., Yasukawa, K., Oinuma, H., Kasahara, Y., Kimura, Y., Takase, S., Yamanouchi, S., Tamura, T., Triterpene alcohols from the flowers of Compositae and their anti-inflammatory effects (1996) Phytochemistry, 43, pp. 1255-1260. , 10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00343-3, 8987908Rojas-Molina, M., Campos-Sanches, J., Analla, M., Serrano, M., Moraga, A.A., Genotoxicity of vegetable cooking oils in the Drosophila wing spot test (2005) Environ Mol Mutagen, 45, pp. 90-95. , 10.1002/em.20078, 15611939Montero, A.C.R., Carvajal, Y.G., Rodríguez, Z.Z., López, G.F., Mirabal, J.M., Evaluación genotóxica del OLEOZON mediante los ensayos de micronúcleos en medula ósea y sangre periférica de ratón (1998) Revista CENIC: Ciências Biológicas, 29, pp. 200-202Salerno, J.W., Smith, D.E., The use of sesame oil and other vegetable oils in the inhibition of human colon cancer growth in vitro (1991) Anticancer Res, 11, pp. 209-215Cognault, S., Jourdan, M.L., Germain, E., Pitavy, R., Morel, E., Durand, G., Bougnoux, P., Lhuillery, C., Effect of an m-linolenic acid-rich diet on rat mammary tumour growth depends on the dietary oxidative status (2000) Nutr Cancer, 36, pp. 33-41. , 10.1207/S15327914NC3601_6, 10798214Nakayama, M., Ju, H.R., Sugano, M., Hirose, N., Ueki, T., Doi, F., Eynard, A.R., Effect of dietary fat and cholesterol on dimethylbenz [a]-antracene-induced mammary tumorigenesis in Sprague-Dawley rats (1993) Anticancer Res, 13, pp. 691-698La Vecchia, C., Negri, E., Franceschi, S., Decarli, A., Giacosa, A., Lipworth, L., Olive oil, other dietary fats, and the risk of breast cancer (Italy) (1995) Cancer Cause Control, 6, pp. 545-550Rao, G.N., Ney, E., Herbert, R.A., Effect of melatonin and linolenic acid on mammary cancer in transgenic mice with c-neu breast cancer oncogen (2000) Breast Cancer Res, 64, pp. 287-296Burns, C.P., Luttenegger, D.G., Specctor, A.A., Effect of dietary fat saturation on survival of mice with L1210 Leukemia (1978) J Natl Cancer Inst, 61, pp. 513-515Bartsch, H., Nai, J., Owen, R.W., Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and cancer of the breast and colorectum: emerging evidence for their role as risk modifiers (1999) Carcinogenesis, 20, pp. 2209-2218. , 10.1093/carcin/20.12.2209, 10590211Boovens, J., Engelbrecht, P., Le Roux, S., Louwrens, C.C., Van der Merwe, C.F., Katzeff, I.E., Some effects of the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-Linolenic acid and of their metabolites gamma-Linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahesaenoic acid, and of prostaglandins A1 and E1 in the proliferation of human osteogenic sarcoma cells in culture (1984) Prostaglandins Leukot Med, 15, pp. 15-33. , 10.1016/0262-1746(84)90053-2, 6089235Johanning, G.L., Lin, T.Z., Unsaturated fatty acid effects on human breast cancer cell adhesion (1995) Nutr Cancer, 24, pp. 57-66. , 10.1080/01635589509514393, 7491298Newcomer, L.M., King, I.B., Wicklund, K.G., Stanford, J.L., The association of fatty acids with prostate cancer risk (2001) Prostate, 47, pp. 262-268. , 10.1002/pros.1070, 11398173Iwado, H., Naito, M., Hayatsu, H., Genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity of air-borne particulates (1991) Mutat Res, 246, pp. 93-103. , 10.1016/0027-5107(91)90110-A, 1986270Siegel, I., Liu, T.L., Yaghoubzadeh, E., Keskey, T.S., Gleicher, N., Cytotoxic effects of free fatty acids on ascites tumor cells (1987) J Natl Cancer Inst Monographs, 78, pp. 271-277Bégin, L.R., Clement, P.B., Kirk, M.E., Jothy, S., McCaughey, W.T., Ferenczy, A., Aggressive angiomyxoma of pelvic soft parts: a clinicopathologic study of nine cases (1985) Hum Pathol, 16, pp. 621-628. , 10.1016/S0046-8177(85)80112-X, 3997139Ramon, J.M., Bou, R., Romea, S., Alkiza, M.E., Jacas, M., Ribes, J., Oromi, J., Dietary fat intake and prostate cancer risk: a case-control study in Spain (2000) Cancer Cause Control, 11, pp. 679-685DeFlora, S., Ramel, C., Mechanisms of inhibitors of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis: classification and review (1988) Mutat Res, 202, pp. 285-306. , 10.1016/0027-5107(88)90193-5, 3057362Visioli, F., Bellosta, S., Galli, C., Oleuropein, the bitter principle of olives, enhances nitric-oxide production by mouse macrophages (1998) Life Sci, 62, pp. 541-546. , 10.1016/S0024-3205(97)01150-8, 9464466Santos, J.H., Graf, U., Reguly, M.L., De Andrade, H.H.R., The synergistic effects of vanillin on recombination predominate over its antigenotoxic action in relation to MMC-induced lesions in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster (1999) Mutat Res, 444, pp. 355-365. , 10.1016/S1383-5718(99)00101-1, 10521675Weisburger, J.H., Can cancer risks be altered by changing nutritional traditions? (1998) Cancer, 83, pp. 1278-1281. , 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19981001)83:73.0.CO;2-F, 9762926Katiyar, S.K., Mohan, R.R., Agarwal, R., Mukhtar, H., Protection against induction of mouse skin papillomas with low and high risk of conversion to malignancy by green tea polyphenols (1997) Carcinogenesis, 18, pp. 497-502. , 10.1093/carcin/18.3.497, 9067548Indart, A., Viana, M., Grootveld, M.C., Silwood, C.J., Sanchez-Vera, I., Bonet, B., Teratogenic actions of thermally-stressed culinary oils in rats (2002) Free Radic Res Commun Commun, 36, pp. 1051-1058Al-Shabanah, O.A., Inhibition of adriamycin-induced micronuclei by desferrioxamine in Swiss albino mice (1993) Mutat Res, 301, pp. 107-111. , 10.1016/0165-7992(93)90032-Q, 7678167Bean, C.L., Armstrong, M.J., Galloway, S.M., Effect of sampling time on chromosome aberration yield for 7 chemicals in Chinese hamster ovary cells (1992) Mutat Res, 265, pp. 31-44. , 10.1016/0027-5107(92)90037-3, 1370241Delvaeye, M., Verovski, V., De Neve, W., Storme, G., DNA breakage, cytotoxicity, drug accumulation and retention in two human ovarian tumor cell lines AZ224 and AZ364 treated with adriamycin, modulated by verapamil (1993) Anticancer Res, 13, pp. 1533-1538Dhawan, A., Kayani, M.A., Parry, J.M., Parry, E., Anderson, D., Aneugenic and clastogenic effects of doxorubicin in human lymphocytes (2003) Mutagenesis, 18, pp. 487-490. , 10.1093/mutage/geg024, 14614182Jagetia, G.C., Nayak, V., Effect of doxorubicin on cell survival and micronuclei formation in HeLa cells exposed to different doses of gamma-radiation (2000) Strahlenther Onkol, 176, pp. 422-428. , 10.1007/PL00002351, 11050916Vidhya, N., Devraj, S.N., Antioxidant effect of eugenol in rat intestine (1999) Ind J Exp Biol, 37, pp. 1192-119

Modelling the habitat preferences of the NE-Atlantic Sea cucumber Holothuria forskali : demographics and abundance

This work was funded by the Operational Program Mar2020 MAR-02.01.01-FEAMP-0052 “Newcumber - Avanços para o cultivo sustentável de pepinos do mar”. This work was also supported by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the scope of the projects (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04292/2020, and https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/00006/2020) and the Associate Laboratory ARNET (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0069/2020), A.C. Brito with the Scientific Stimulus Program – CEECIND/00095/2017, A.P. with the under the Scientific Employment Stimulus - Institutional Call - CEECINST/00051/2018 and Francisco Azevedo e Silva and João Trigo de Sousa through the individual grants (SFRH/BD/09563/2020 and SFRH/BDANA/02949/2023).Sea cucumbers' historical demand, together with the depletion of several traditional species in the market, has popularized new target species from new fishing grounds. Holothuria forskali is one of those emergent species in the trade market. However, it is a species for which there is no relevant information to allow sustainable stock management. Fundamental knowledge of the populations' structure and habitat preferences are key elements without which any measure is inconsequent. This work aims to fill that gap by modelling temporal and spatial patterns of abundance and demographic structure of this species in a NE-Atlantic area, as a function of environmental features. For a period of 15 months, nine regular sampling campaigns collected data on density, individual length, individual conditions of occurrence (e.g. sheltered, on sand, on algae cover) and environmental parameters (water column, sediment, substrate cover and type), using random transects throughout a costal rocky-reef, considering habitat heterogeneity and substrate types. To determine the species' habitat preferences Generalized Linear Models were used to model density and demographic structure of the species as a function of environmental conditions. The models revealed that the main drivers shaping the distribution of H. forskali are neither abiotic nor biotic parameters of the water column, but physical stressors, like current intensity and depth, and substrate type in a patchy distribution pattern. Estuarine conditions are generally avoided, although with a size-dependent opportunistic strategy. Larger individuals show temporal and spatial displacement patterns towards suitable reproductive conditions (pre-breeding aggregation) and favourable feeding grounds and smaller size-classes tend to aggregate in higher numbers in more stable environments. Sustainable sources for market supply, like aquaculture, are still a long way from commercial production. So, these results are fundamental to support effective conservation measures for stock management of H. forskaliPublisher PDFPeer reviewe

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