Air velocity and exposure time to ventilation affect body surface and rectal temperature of broiler chickens

Increasing air movement over poultry by using fans (ventilation) has become an accepted means of reducing environmental heat stress over the last several years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of air velocity and exposure time to ventilation on body surface and rectal temperature of broiler chickens. Male broiler chickens aged 36-42 days were placed in individual wire cages and exposed to five different air velocities (5.7, 4.2, 3.1, 2.4, or 1.8 m/sec). Throughout the experiment head, back, leg, and rectal temperatures were monitored every 10 min during a 30-min period for each air velocity. The data showed that exposure time to the wind affected (P<.05) leg and body temperature, with a rapid reduction being observed during the first 10 min. There was a reduction in leg temperature with air velocity of 2 m/sec; however, air velocity lower than 4.5 m/sec was not effective in decreasing head and back temperature. The results suggest that air velocity of 2 m/sec, in air temperature of 29 degrees C, improves heat loss in the birds. The data also indicate that exposure time to ventilation seems to be a critical point in the maintenance of bird thermal homeostasis.

Computed tomographic-dacryocystography (CT-DCG) of the normal canine nasolacrimal drainage system with three-dimensional reconstruction

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Rectal atresia in a newborn donkey

P>A case of a type I rectal atresia (also known as membranous rectal atresia) in a newborn donkey is reported. Clinical examination, survey radiographs and barium enema radiographs suggested rectal atresia. An exploratory laparotomy was performed; however, surgical correction of the defect was not possible due to the narrow pelvic cavity. Euthanasia was performed. At necropsy, it was possible to observe a fibrous cord connecting the small colon to a residual rectal ampulla, which opened to a normal anus. The radiographic and anatomical characteristics enabled the classification of the defect as type I rectal atresia, which is a rare congenital anomaly that is difficult to correct through surgery. This report contributes to the study of rectal atresia in newborn equids, alerts for the occurrence in donkeys and is, to our knowledge, the first to be reported in this species in Brazil.

Seasonality of macroalgal communities in a subtropical drainage basin in Paraná state, southern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Lymphatic drainage on healthy and neoplasic mammary glands in female dogs: Can it really be altered?

The purpose of this research was to study the mammary lymphatic drainage under a macroscopic and mesoscopic view, comparing the vascular pattern of healthy and neoplasic mammary glands injected with drawing ink alcoholic and fluorescein solutions, in 46 mongrel female dogs. The results pointed out that the thoracic gland is drained by the axillary lymph centre, but in mammary neoplasia either superficial cervical or ventral thoracic lymph centres can be involved. Cranial and caudal abdominal glands may be drained by the axillary, inguinofemoral and popliteal lymph centres. However, the popliteal drainage is specific for the healthy caudal abdominal mammary gland. The inguinal gland can be drained by both inguinofemoral and popliteal lymph centres in both neoplasic and healthy conditions. Regarding the mammary lymphatic communications, this research demonstrated that neoplasic glands present more types of anastomosis (40.9%), than healthy glands (33.33%), and an increase in contralateral anastomosis (50%) compared with healthy ones (33%). Given the data, the mammary neoplasia can change the lymphatic drainage pattern in terms of lymph centres and vascular arborization, thus forming new drainage channels and recruiting a larger number of lymph nodes. Lastly, some comments were made about the severity of a specific neoplasic mammary gland and conditions to be considered before making a decision in terms of the most adequate operative procedure, and suggestions for further investigations.

Associations among milk production and rectal temperature on pregnancy maintenance in lactating recipient dairy cows

The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations among milk production, rectal temperature, and pregnancy maintenance in lactating recipient dairy cows. Data were collected during an 11-mo period from 463 Holstein cows (203 primiparous and 260 multiparous) assigned to a fixed-time embryo transfer (ET) protocol. Only cows detected with a visible corpus luteum immediately prior to ET were used. Rectal temperatures were collected from all cows on the same day of ET. Milk production at ET was calculated by averaging individual daily milk production during the 7 d preceding ET. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed by transrectal ultrasonography 21 d after ET. Cows were ranked and assigned to groups according to median milk production (median = 35 kg/d; HPROD = above median; LPROD = below median) and rectal temperature (<= 39.0 degrees C = LTEMP; >39.0 degrees C = HTEMP). A milk production x temperature group interaction was detected (P = 0.04) for pregnancy analysis because HTEMP cows ranked as LPROD were 3.1 time more likely to maintain pregnancy compared with HTEMP cows ranked as HPROD (P = 0.03). Milk production did not affect (P = 0.55) odds of pregnancy maintenance within LTEMP cows, however, and no differences in odds of pregnancy maintenance were detected between HTEMP and LTEMP within milk production groups (P > 0.11). Within HTEMP cows, increased milk production decreased the probability of pregnancy maintenance linearly, whereas within LTEMP cows, increased milk production increased the probability of pregnancy maintenance linearly. Within HPROD, increased rectal temperature decreased the probability of pregnancy maintenance linearly, whereas within LPROD cows, no associations between rectal temperatures and probability of cows to maintain pregnancy were detected. In summary, high-producing dairy cows with rectal temperatures below 39.0 degrees C did not experience reduced pregnancy maintenance to ET compared to cohorts with reduced milk production. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal fluxes at the sediment-water interface in rivers in the Turvo/Grande drainage basin, So Paulo State, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Distribution of stream macroalgae in three tropical drainage basins of southeastern Brazil

Three drainage basins belonging to different drainage systems, but in close proximity, were evaluated to compare the distribution of macroalgal communities in the northwest region of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Monthly samplings were carried out from September 1992 through September 1993 in three sites along the main river of each basin. 10 m length cross segments were evaluated for species per cent cover and richness, on both the population and community levels. Selected stream variables were measured: specific conductance, temperature, turbidity, mean cross-sectional area of the reach, current velocity, pH, and oxygen saturation (%). Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCO), chi-square good-of-fitness, and Pearson Product-Moment correlation coefficient were applied to evaluate the distribution of the macroalgal species. The survey resulted in 36 taxa of macroalgae, of which Cyanophyta was the dominant group (17 taxa or 41.7% of the total), followed by Chlorophyta (15 taxa or 41.7%), Rhodophyta (3 taxa or 8.3%) and Chrysophyta (1 taxon or 2.8%). Stigeoclonium helveticum, 'Chantransia' stage of Batrachospermum spp., and B. delicatulum were the most widespread and frequent macroalgae throughout the basins. The analyses showed that conductance and current velocity were the factors most closely related to the distribution of the macroalgal species. Positive correlation between richness and percent cover was determined, which reinforces the patchiness of stream macroalgal distribution.

The effects of sildenafil on rectal sensitivity and tone in patients with the irritable bowel syndrome

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of acute cold exposure on rectal temperature, blood glucose and plasma free fatty acids in alloxan-diabetic rats

These experiments were carried out to study the effects of acute cold exposure (0-2°C/4 hr) on rectal temperature, blood glucose and plasma free fatty acids (FFA) in alloxan-diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats weighing 170-190 g were used and diabetes was induced by i.v. alloxan injection (40 mg/kg body wt). Cold exposure produced severe hypothermia in diabetic rats. After 4 hr of cold, blood glucose of diabetic rats was reduced from 296±16 to 86t±12 mg/dl (P<0.01), and FFA increased slightly, but was not statistically different (P>0.05) from the initial value. As expected, interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) and retroperitoneal and epididymal white adipose tissues were significantly lower in diabetic than in control rats. Cold exposure reduced total IBAT lipids in control but not in diabetic animals. The results of this experiment suggest that diabetic rats were unable to maintain body temperature in the cold, probably because of a failure to generate an adequate amount of heat by nonshivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue.

Effects of antithyroid drug on the rectal temperature and metabolic parameters of ducks (Cairina moschata).

The effect of propylthiouracil oral treatment (400 mg/day per bird for 20 days) on body and thyroid weight, rectal temperature and plasma metabolic parameters of ducks (Cairina moschata) was determined. Propylthiouracil treatment produced a reduction (P less than .01) in body weight and an increase (P less than .01) in thyroid weight. The antithyroid drug also produced a decrease in rectal temperature starting from the 15th day of treatment, but did not significantly change blood glucose. Plasma free fatty acids and cholesterol concentrations progressively increased from the 5th and 10th day, respectively, in treated animals.