The present study evaluated the performance of two commercial diets: AgloNorse (AN) and BioKyowa (BK), and two experimental, formulated diets based on casein (C) or casein plus casein hydrolysates (CH) in rearing of pike-perch larvae (Sander lucioperca L.). All ¢sh were 5 day old and control group was fed live Artemia nauplii. Fish were sampled periodically for histological comparison of morphological changes in the digestive tracts. Survival of ¢sh fed Artemia nauplii, BK and AN was similar: 54.4%, 50.8% and 52.4%, respectively, while the ¢sh fed formulated diets C and CH showed considerably lower survival: 28.4% and 21.6% respectively. After 5 weeks of rearing, the average body mass of ¢sh ranged from 212 AE 32 mg in Artemia fed group to 53.8 AE 6.8 mg in C diet fed group.A considerable vacuolization of supranuclear zone in enterocytes of posterior intestine was observed in the larvae fed commercial diets. No anomalies in liver development were found. Hepatocytes of ¢sh fed BK diet showed larger glycogen storage areas, compared with those occupied by lipids. The highest zymogen accumulation of pancreatic cytoplasm was observed in ¢sh fed Artemia. In ¢sh fed C and CH diets, anomalies in digestive system development were indicated by lower and less numerous intestinal folds, smaller hepatocytes, retarded development of gastric glands, and in CH group^also local fatty degeneration of liver.

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Host responses to primary infections with Heligmosomoides polygyrus were studied in fast responding FVB mice (H-2(q)). Pathological changes in the intestinal mucosa, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen were examined. Features of the fast response were typical: low effectiveness of infection and limiting of parasite survival and egg production, with worm expulsion occurring about 60 days post-infection. The intestinal inflammatory response involved infiltration by different cells into the intestinal mucosa and granulomata formation. As is typical for intestinal nematode infection enteropathy, decreased villus:crypt ratio and hyperplasia of goblet and Paneth cells were also present. Reactions of the intestinal mucosa, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen increased over time post-infection and after worm expulsion. Enteropathy may help worm expulsion by creating an unfavourable environment for H. polygyrus. The implications of these findings and the potential role of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of generated lesions are discussed.

We have analysed the differences between longevity and aging process in two lines of mice selected divergently for body weight. As a result of long-term selection, the mice from two lines varied significantly in body weight during their life span. The differences regarded maturation rate, the length of the life time, reproduction performance, and fertility. Females from the light line (L) were fertile for a longer period of time than those from the heavy line (C), while the process of spermatogenesis disappearance started earlier in the light males than in the heavy ones. There were also differences in the relative weight of adrenal glands and histopathological changes connected with the hyperplasia of their spindle cells. The adrenal glands in females from both lines were heavier than in males. A significantly higher percentage of the cortex cell hyperplasia was observed in adrenals of mice from the C line than the L line. The differences were also scored between mice from the selection lines in relation to the length of their life. On average, the L mice lived 30 days longer than the heavy ones. Body weight loss was observed earlier in the old heavy males than the L ones and this was correlated with the earlier mortality in this group of animals.

Sows were dried off by a traditional method (control -C, restricted feeding before, during and after weaning) or by a modified one (experimental -E, intensive feeding before, during and after weaning). On day 5-6 after weaning of the 3 rd or 6 th litter, in the sows lactating for the period of 6 weeks (experiment I) or 4 weeks (experiment II), histomorphological and caryometric evaluation of mammary alveoli was carried out. The cellular infiltrations (plasmocytes, eosinophils, histiocytes and neutrophils) in the mammary gland showed no significant differences between groups dried off by different techniques. The alveolar epithelial cell DNA index (DI) and nucleus volume (V N ) were higher in sows lactating for 4 weeks than in those lactating for 6 weeks and in sows after 3 rd lactation than in those after 6 th lactation. In experiment I, after weaning of the 3 rd or 6 th litter, absolute DI values in groups C and E were as follows: 2.092, 1.520, 1.409, 2.443, and V N 42.679, 28.060, 38.064, 48.185. In experiment II, they were 2.072, 3.039, 2.890, 3.208, and V N 52. 274, 63.213, 57.980, 63.337, respectively. After weaning of the 3 rd litter, the domination of group E compared to group C was found during 4-week lactation (DI -P ≤ 0.01, V N -P ≤ 0.01). In 6-week lactation, more favourable conditions were obtained in group C compared to group E (DI -P ≤ 0.001, V N -P ≤ 0.001). After weaning of the 6 th litter, in 4-week lactation, the domination of group E in relation to group C was insignificant: DI + 11.0%, V N + 9.24%, and during 6-week lactation, it was statistically confirmed (DI -P ≤ 0.01, V N -P ≤ 0.01). The results justify the need of intensive feeding during the weaning time in sows with longer lactation compared to those with the shorter one, with the performance period prolonged till the 6 th reproduction cycle.

The addition of fiveFusarium species, cultured on wheat grain, to the standart chicken diet DKA starter, caused atrophic changes in the thymus and testes, as observed in the microscopic picture of these organs. The degree of lesions were depended on theFusarium species and its amount added to the standart diet.