-The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the ability to walk (gait score), incidence of femoral degeneration, tibial dyschondroplasia, valgus and varus deformity and leg symmetry of broiler chickens. Male chickens of the Cobb strain from a commercial poultry farm were utilized in this experiment. Fifty 35 and 42-day-old birds were evaluated according to the gait score and valgus or varus incidence. To assess the bilateral symmetry and the lesion score for femoral degeneration and tibial dyschondroplasia, broilers were weighed and euthanized for the removal of the femur and tibia of both legs. The lesion scores for femoral degeneration and tibial dyschondroplasia, varus or valgus deformity, bone symmetry and gait scores of the chickens were then correlated. It was found that weight, age and the incidence of femoral degeneration and tibial dyschondroplasia are not always correlated with the gait score and that only valgus deformity is more correlated.

KeywordsScanning electron microscopy, morphometrics, intestinal mucosa, intestinal wall.Submitted: May/2013 Approved: February/2014 ABStRACt This study aimed at evaluating the intestinal integrity, using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the performance of broiler chickens fed additives alternative to antimicrobials. A total of 1080 male chicks were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design, with six treatments with six replicates of 30 birds each. The following treatments were evaluated: basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with an antimicrobial, basal diet supplemented with a probiotic, basal diet supplemented with a prebiotic, basal diet with a symbiotic, and basal diet supplemented with organic acids. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and livability were recorded when broiler chickens were 10, 21, 35, and 42 days old. On day 42, 72 birds were individually weighed and sacrificed. In order to evaluate the morphometrics of the different intestinal wall layers, segments of the small intestine and the cecum were collected from two birds per replicate, and intestinal integrity (SEM) was evaluated in the same segments of two birds per treatment. During the starter period (1-21 days old), birds fed the alternative additives presented similar weight gain as those fed the antimicrobial product, but were not different from control birds. Feed conversion ratio of birds fed alternative additives was better than that of the control birds from one to 10 days of age, but not during the remaining rearing period, and was similar to the birds receiving the antimicrobial. The morphometric parameters of the different intestinal wall layers was not influenced by the treatments. During the total rearing period, the evaluated alternative additives did not improve intestinal integrity or broiler performance.

Pododermatitis, also known as "bumblefoot", is an inflammatory lesion of the footpad. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of genetic strain and sex on the incidence of footpad lesions in broilers. The experiment was carried out at São Paulo State University, using 480 broilers distributed in a completely randomized experimental design in a 2X2 factorial arrangement (2 strains X2 sexes), with four replicates of 30 broilers each, totaling 16 experimental units. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and livability were evaluated at 21, 35 and 42 days of age; production efficiency factor was determined at the end of the rearing period. On day 42, the footpads of 100 broilers were grossly examined and assigned a lesion score in a 1-3 scale (Almeida Paz & Martins, 2014). Three samples per score within treatment were collected for microscopic evaluation. Analysis of variance was applied and performance parameter means were compared by Tukey's test. Footpad lesion incidence was analyzed by the χ2 test using SAS (version8.2). Ross ® broilers presented higher feed intake during all evaluated periods, and higher weight gain only in the period 1 to 21 days compared with Cobb ® broilers. On the other hand, Cobb ® presented better feed conversion ratio in the periods of 1 to 35 and 1 to 42 days. The incidence of foot pad lesions was statistically different (p<0.05) between strains and sexes, but there were no interactions between these factors. The lesion scores assigned were compatible with the histopathological results, showing that the higher the score, the more severe were the dermal and epidermal lesions.

Opossum is considered one of the most primitive mammals, with transition evolutive characteristics. In mammals, the aorta artery is referred as the main body blood vessel. The arteries wall structural organization follows a basic pattern, being contituted of three tunics: Intima, Median and Adventicial. After euthanasia, three samples of opossum had segments from the aorta artery ascendent, thoracic descending and abdominal descending portions removed, fixed in phormalin at 10% for 48 hours. Then, the material was washed in alcohol 70% several times, dehydrated in alcohois of growing concentrations, diafanized in xylol and included in "paraplast". Cuts with 5 to 7µm of thickness were placed in histological laminae and submitted to color methods of Hematoxilin-Eosin, Masson, Mallory and Calleja Tricromics. It was observed that in the different portions ascendent, thoracic and abdominal descending of aorta, the intima tunic presents much thick, made up of a layer of smooth muscular cells and elastic fibers, forming a limiting internal elastic membrane. In the three portions studied, the median tunic was the most evident layer, constituted of colagen fibers, smooth muscular cells arranged in a circular manner and elastic fibers, showing a variation in the mural elements proportion. It was evidenced the presence of a external elastic lamina, marking the transition between the median and adventicial tunic, formed by elastic fibers condensation. The aortic adventicial tunic showed to be little organized, having in its structure predominantely colagen fibers beans with some isolated smooth muscular fibers or in small fascicules among a few elastic fibers.

SUMMARY:In order to study the morphological changes that occur in cells of the testes of isogenic black mouse C57BL/6/Uni into three periods during spermatogenetic used 15 mice divided into 3 groups of 5 animals with 40, 50 and 60 days of age. The mice were sacrificed and weighed. Then weighed and measured the testicles, to be processed finalmete histologically and stained with HE, PAS and Masson Massom-H and evaluated under light microscopy. Was observed in group I with 40 days of age in the seminiferous tubules had a lumen with sparse small amount of interstitial tubular cells. In the seminiferous epithelium were identified type A spermatogonia, intermediate and B, which occupied the compartment adbasal and intermingled with these cells was observed in spermatocytes I in Pachytene and leptotene, whereas in the adluminal compartment Golgi phase spermatids observed in the presence of acrosomal granule. In group II, the cells of the seminiferous epithelium were developed and it was observed in round spermatids cephalic hood phase plus many elongated spermatids in acrosome phase and Sertoli cells. In Group III, 60 days old, it was found that the seminiferous epithelium which was of the tubules had elongated spermatids in acrosome phase and maturation, with elongated nuclei and acrosomal system typical of spermiation in the presence of sperm and residual bodies near the tubular lumen. So you can check the morphological evolution of germ cell testicular spermatids and recognize its four phases: Golgi, cap, acrosome and maturation over the age of the animal.