Thirty-one pregnant agoutis, between Days 9 and 103 of gestation (Day 1 = day of detection of sperm in the vaginal smear), underwent B-mode ultrasonography; gestational sac diameter (GSD), crown-rump length (CRL), embryonic-fetal diameter (EFD), and placenta diameter (PD) were measured. There were positive correlations (P < 0.05) between GSD and CRL (r = 0.98), GSD and PD (r = 0.88), CRL and PD (r = 0.86), days of gestation (DG) and CRL (r = 0.85), and DG and PD (r = 0.73). The gestational sac was first observed on Day 14. The embryo was first seen on Day 18 in 9/31 of pregnant agoutis and on Day 22 in 20/31 of pregnant agoutis. Heartbeats were detected from the Day 25 and placentas were observed in 100% of the animals from Day 25. Early limb bud and ossification of the fetal skull were identified on Days 27 (15/31) and 45 (24/31), respectively. Fetal orientation (head and body) was evident from Day 40, the stomach, liver and lungs were identified on Day 50, the kidneys were reliably seen only on Day 55, and the aorta and vena cava were seen on Day 70. The fetal bowel and the urinary bladder were the last structures to be observed (Day 85). Ultrasonography was effective for early pregnancy diagnosis in agouti and for obtaining information on embryonic and fetal structures that could be used to predict gestational age and birth, thereby contributing to their reproductive management in captivity.

The black-rumped agouti ( Dasyprocta prymnolopha , Wagler 1831) is currently under intense ecologic pressure, which has resulted in its disappearance from some regions of Brazil. Echocardiography is widely used in veterinary medicine but it is not yet part of the clinical routine for wild animals. The objective of the present study was to assess the applicability of the echocardiographic exam in nonanesthetized agouti and to establish normal reference values for echocardiographic measurements in bidimensional mode (2D), M-mode, and Doppler for this species, and a lead II electrocardiogram was simultaneously recorded. Twenty agouti were used in this study. All the echocardiographic measurements were positively correlated with weight (P < 0.05), and there were no significant differences between sexes (P > 0.05). Blood flow velocities in the pulmonary and aortic artery ranged from 67.32-71.28 cm/sec and 79.22-101.84 cm/sec, respectively. The isovolumic relaxation time was assessed in all the animals and ranged from 38.5 to 56.6 ms. The maximum value for the nonfused E and A waves and the Et and At waves was 158 beats/min for both. The results obtained for the morphologic and heart hemodynamic measurements can guide future studies and help in the clinical management of these animals in captivity.

Miglino M.A. 2010. Establishment of a protocol for obtention of neuronal stem cells lineages from the dog olfactory epithelium. Pesquisa . Departamento de Ciência Animal, Campus Universitário, Bairro Cibrazen, Bom Jesus, PI 64900-000, Brazil. E-mail: flavioribeiro@ufpi.edu.br A morphological and cell culture study from nasal mucosa of dogs was performed in order to establish a protocol to obtain a cell population committed to neuronal lineage, as a proposal for the treatment of traumatic and degenerative lesions in these animals, so that in the future these results could be applied to the human species. Twelve mongrel dogs of 60-day aged pregnancy were collected from urban pound dogs in São Paulo. Tissue from cribriform ethmoidal lamina of the fetuses was collected at necropsy under sterile conditions around 1h to 2h postmortem by uterine sections and sections from the fetal regions described above. Isolated cells of this tissue were added in DMEM/F-12 medium under standard conditions of incubation (5% CO 2 , >37°C). Cell culture based on isolated cells from biopsies of the olfactory epithelium showed rapid growth when cultured for 24 hours, showing phase-bright sphere cells found floating around the fragments, attached on culture flasks. After 20 days, a specific type of cells, predominantly ellipsoids or fusiform cells was characterized in vitro. The indirect immunofluorescence examination showed cells expressing markers of neuronal precursors (GFAP, neurofilament, oligodendrocyte, and III â-tubulin). The cell proliferation index showed Ki67 immunostaining with a trend to label cell groups throughout the apical region, while PCNA immunostaining label predominantly cell groups lying above the basal lamina. The transmission electron microscopy from the olfactory epithelium of dogs revealed cells with electron-dense cytoplasm and preserving the same distribution as those of positive cell staining for PCNA. Metabolic activity was confirmed by presence of euchromatin in the greatest part of cells. All these aspects give subsidies to support the hypothesis about resident progenitor cells among the basal cells of the olfactory epithelium, committed to renewal of these cell populations, especially neurons. RESUMO.-[Estabelecimento de um protocolo para obtenção de linhagens de células-tronco neuronais a partir do epitélio olfatório de cães.] Foi realizado um estudo morfológico e por cultivo celular a partir de células provenientes da mucosa olfatória de cães, como forma de estabelecer um protocolo de cultivo, como uma proposta para o tratamento de lesões traumáticas e nervosas degenerativas nestes animais e futuramente, para que tais resultados possam ser aplicados a espécie humana. Foram utilizados doze cães sem raça definida, a termo, oriundos de castrações do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses de São Paulo. O tecido da lâmina cribiforme do etmóide dos fetos foi coletado sob necropsia, em condições estéreis, 1 a 2 horas post mortem, por meio de incisão uterina e acesso da região fetal supracitada. Depois as células isol...

The influence of scrotum division on the reproductive parameters in goats was evaluated. Thirty animals were divided into three groups of 10 animals each as follows. Group I: animals with simple scrotum (n=10); Group II: animals with 50% of scrotum bipartite (n=10); and Group III: animals with more than 50% of scrotum bipartite (n=10). It was evaluated: body weight, scrotum perimeter and the testicular length, the seminal characteristic, plasmatic concentration of testosterone, and the libido of the animals with different degrees of scrotum division. Animals with divided scrotum had higher weight and testicular length when compared with animals from the first group that had a higher percentage of spermatic defects. It is possible to conclude that there was a positive influence of scrotal bipartition on the biometric parameters and the sperm quality in goats.INDEX TERMS: Small ruminant, scrotal division, seminal characteristics, testosteron.

We studied the morphology of the spermatic funicle in goats according to their scrotum conformation. Animals were divided into three experimental groups: I – non-bipartite scrotum; II - bipartite scrotum up to 50% of testicular length; and III – bipartite scrotum over 50% of testicular length. We evaluated the length of the spermatic funicle, cremaster muscle, the segment of the umbilical artery and spermatic funicle histology. In all groups the testicular artery was found to be single (95%) or divided (5%), surrounded by numerous veins without valves and varied and irregular diameters. In group I, the subcapsular adipose tissue was involving the veins. In groups II and III, this tissue was showed as plates surrounding the funicle, becoming thicker near the mesoductus, suggesting the presence of thermal insulation between the vessels and the vas deferens. We found that goats from group III showed greater length of funiculus (mean=10.25cm) and testicular artery (mean=152.80 cm), in comparison with groups I (8.06 and 103.25 cm) and II (8.60 and 121.80 cm). This may facilitate heat exchange between arterial and venous blood. The length of the cremaster muscle did not differ statistically (P>0.05) between groups I (19.37 cm), II (18.61) and III (20.06 cm)