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Anatomical variation in wild canids is rarely described. Altered shapes, uni- or bilaterally situated, were observed in ventral laminae of C6 and/or in C7 vertebral body of two fox species: Lycalopex gymnocercus and Cerdocyon thous. The specimens were young adults, collected dead on highways in southern Brazil. Deformities were considered anatomical variations because apparently there was no interference in function. The occurrence of such variations in two related species from the same area can suggest an environmental common cause rather than genetic issues. Future studies may deepen the understanding between cause and effect of these vertebral deformities in wild canids.

Rabbits have been used as an experimental model in many studies. These studies are important for not only for veterinary clinicians, but also for researchers in different fields. The aim of this research was to describe gross morphological measurement, shape and arterial supply of the adrenal glands in healthy New Zealand rabbits. Dissections were performed in 30 adult rabbits, 15 males and 15 females, without macroscopic adrenal pathology. Adrenal measurements were made with a digital caliper: length, width, and thickness. The origin of the adrenal arteries was also determined. Both adrenal glands were localized cranially to the respective kidneys. The mean of the right adrenal gland was 0.88 cm length, 0.42 cm width and 0.16 cm thickness; the left gland measured 0.72 cm, 0.46 cm, and 0.17 cm, respectively. The right gland was significantly more elongated than the left (p = 0.0003) and the means of the measurements did not differ between sexes. Most of the right adrenal glands had a piriform shape (73.3%), whereas most of the left gland exhibited a “bean-shaped” aspect (60.0%). The arterial supply was found to arise from different arteries: lumbar, aorta, renal, caudal mesenteric, and testicular or ovarian. Comparatively, the descriptions of shape, position and arterial irrigation of the adrenal gland in rabbits are similar to those available in rodents. The data from the present investigation will assist in the interpretation of pathological and / or experimental findings in New Zealand rabbits.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:39:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 U.S. Army Medical Department Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro Universidade Estadual Paulista Background: Considered the most common congenital testicular abnormality of companion animals and a predisposition factor to the development of testicular neoplasia, cryptorchidism is defined as the non-descent of one or both testes to their normal anatomical location. Data on the occurrence of cryptorchidism in Brazil are scarce. The purpose of this work was to verify the occurrence of cryptorchidism in dogs of different sizes and breeds. Materials and methods: Cryptorchidism identification was carried out by ultrasound scanning, from November, 1994 to March, 2007, at the Centre for Veterinarian Diagnosis and Support (Centro de Apoio e Diagnóstico Veterinário - CAD), in Rio de Janeiro. 4924 male dogs of different breeds were examined, revealing 403 (8.2%) cryptorchidism. Results: In this study, occurrence took place more often on the right testicle (59.5%), more frequently displaying inguinal localisation (59.5%) and unilateral occurrence (70%). Regarding bilateral presentation, the symmetrical form was the most common (86.8%). Cryptorchidism was more common in the inguinal region of dog of small sized breeds and in the abdominal region in dogs of medium- and large-sized breeds. Conclusions: Ultrasound scan proved a valuable diagnosis tool for cryptorchid testes, giving precise localisation and parenchymal changes thus leading to a safe clinical treatment. Autonomous Veterinarian Centre for Veterinarian Diagnosis and Support Centro de Apoio e Diagnóstico Veterinário - CAD Veterinarian Radiology and Animal Reproduction Department School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science UNESP Federal University of Acre Federal University of Pampa Morphology Department Fluminense Federal University Human and Animal Anatomy Department Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Veterinarian Radiology and Animal Reproduction Department School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science UNESP

The clavicle is a bone whose development is related to the versatility of the thoracic limbs in mammals. Studies with vestigial structures are scarce and controversial, especially in the order Carnivora. The objective of this study was to verify the presence and to investigate the shape and constitution of the clavicle in neotropical carnivores. In order to do this, 108 cadavers of 19 different species were collected dead on highways and were analyzed. The clavicles were submitted to dissections, longitudinal length measurements, radiographs, histological sections and, in some cases, diaphanization. Sixteen of the 19 species had clavicles in both sides, being significantly larger (P < 0.05) and distinctly more radiopaque in the felids than in the other families. There were no macro or microscopic evidence of clavicle in the specimens of Nasua nasua (n = 6), Conepatus semistriatus (n = 2), and Conepatus chinga (n = 1). The clavicle of the males of Lycalopex gymnocercus, Galictis cuja, and Leopardus geoffroyi was significantly larger (P < 0.05). The predominating contour of the clavicles was a thin stick with cranial convexity. The histological sections demonstrated compact bone consisting of trabecula and lamellae filled by bone marrow and different levels of occupation by chondroid matrix. It can be proposed the clavicles of the order Carnivora, although vestigial and rarely absent, have their presence, constitution and shape more associated with the phylogenetic proximity and evolutionary history of the species than to the variety of movements the thoracic limbs perform in free-living conditions. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy Anat Rec, 303:1831-1841, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.

New Zealand rabbits are widely used as experimental models and represent an important casuistic in veterinary practices. The musculoskeletal conformation of rabbits frequently leads to the occurrence of lumbosacral lesions with neural involvement. In order to contribute to the comparative anatomy and the understanding of these lesions, the origin and distribution of the obturator nerves of 30 New Zealand rabbits (15 males and 15 females) previously fixed in 10% formaldehyde were studied by dissection. The obturator nerves were originated from the ventral spinal branches of L6 and L7 in 63.3% of the cases, L5 and L6 in 13.4%, only L7 in 13.4%, L7 and S1 in 6.6 % and of L6, L7 and S1 in 3.3%. The spinal segment that most contributed to the formation of the nerve was L7 (86.6% of the nerves). The obturator nerves emitted in all the specimens, a variable number of branches for the internal obturator, external obturator, pectineum, adductor and gracilis muscles. No significant differences were observed between the frequencies of the origin and muscular branches of the obturator nerves when comparing sex and antimers. Keywords: animal anatomy; lagomorphs; lumbosacral plexus; nervous system; Oryctolagus cuniculus

Background : Thyroid gland diseases are the most common endocrinopathies in feline practice. Diagnosis and surgical treatment must base on solid anatomical knowledge about the gland size, localization, and blood supply. However, some textbooks provide a general anatomical description of the thyroid gland of domestic carnivores. Thus, specific details of the feline gland are missing. The present study aimed to investigate the dimensions, topography, and arterial supply of the thyroid gland in Brazilian shorthair cats and, therefore, provide additional data to diagnose and treat feline thyroid diseases. Materials, Methods & Results : Thirty Brazilian shorthair cats formalin-fixed cadavers (15 male and 15 female) were injected with red-stained latex solution by a canula in the thoracic aorta. The necropsy unit of the Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro donated the specimens. The study included only adult animals with no history of thyroid disease. After the fixation period, the cadavers were dissected to investigate the measurements (length, width at cranial and caudal poles, and thickness), topography, and in situ arterial supply of the thyroid lobes. The mean measurements of the length, cranial pole width, caudal pole width, and thickness in the right lobe were 19.39 ± 3.10 mm, 5.36 ± 1.40 mm, 3.67 ± 0.93 mm, and 1.30 ± 0.29 mm, respectively; and 20.29 ± 3.35 mm, 4.85 ± 1.58 mm, 3.88 ± 0.91 mm, 1.64 ± 0.65 mm in the left lobe, respectively. There were no statistical differences ( P > 0.05) in the comparison of the measures between sexes or antimers (sides). Pearson's linear correlation detected a positive, moderate (r = 0.55), and significant ( P < 0.05) correlation between the right and left lobe lengths. In 70% of the cats, both left and right lobes had the cranial poles located at the same level. Typically, the lobes extended between the first to the eighth tracheal ring. However, the cranial pole of some lobes located as cranially as the cricoid cartilage level, and the caudal pole as caudally as the 12th tracheal ring. Fifty-six percent of the cats had a ventrally located isthmus. In all the sampling, one single thyroid artery emerged as a branch of the common carotid artery and provided branches directly to the thyroid lobe, isthmus and the adjacent muscles and esophagus. Discussion : Besides establishing average dimensions of normal thyroid lobes in Brazilian shorthair cats, this study detected no significant difference between the average measurements of right and left lobes. Also, a positive linear correlation between the length and width of the right and left lobes became evident. Therefore, the practitioner must consider suspicious any length asymmetry between right and left thyroid lobes until further endocrine test proves otherwise. Most of the cats had the right and left thyroid lobe positioned at the same transversal level; however, positional asymmetries are not uncommon. Unlike dogs, Brazilian shorthair cats have only a single artery to supply each lobe: the thyroid artery. In a feline thyroidectomy, the surgeon must avoid blindly ligating the thyroid artery since this vessel also provided numerous branches to adjacent muscles and esophagus. In a bilateral thyroidectomy, the ventral region between lobes should be thoroughly inspected for the common presence of an isthmus. Sometimes, the surgeon may need to extend the incision caudally beyond the 12 th tracheal ring level to visualize the gland tissue entirely. Keywords: endocrinology, feline anatomy, morphometrics, thyroidectomy.

Background: Cerdocyon thous is the canid with the greatest geographical coverage in South America. The aim of this study was to describe the origin, skeletopy, length and main branches of the coeliac artery in C. thous. Materials and methods: The dissections were performed on 14 cadavers of adult specimens, 6 males and 8 females, with a rostrosacral length average of 67.00 ± 4.7 cm and 62.09 ± 5.7 cm, respectively. The specimens were collected dead on highways on the banks of the Atlantic Forest (Rio de Janeiro) and the Pampa biome (Rio Grande do Sul) in Brazil. The cadavers were fixed and preserved in a formaldehyde solution until dissection. The coeliac artery was dissected, the length was measured “in situ” and its main branches were recorded. The coeliac artery emerged as a single artery in all dissected animals. Results: The average length of the coeliac artery was 1.43 ± 0.17 cm in males and 1.39 mm ± 0.24 cm in females, with no significant difference in this measurement between sexes. The predominant skeletopy was at the level of the second lumbar vertebra (57.1%), positioned on average 1.43 cm cranially to the cranial mesenteric artery. In most individuals (92.9%), the classic trifurcation was formed: the coeliac artery branched into the hepatic, left gastric, and lienal arteries. Only 1 male animal presented a bifurcation formed between the hepatic artery and a gastrolienal trunk. Conclusions: These anatomical characteristics are similar to those of other species of the Canidae family, possibly due to their phylogenetic proximity.

The characteristics of the muscles of the thoracic limb were evaluated in 22 specimens of Lycalopex gymnocercus. Descriptive and comparative analyses showed similarity with other canids in terms of topography and tendon insertions. Differences with the domestic dog were observed in the pectoralis profundus, triceps brachii and interflexorii muscles. Intraspecific variations were observed in the rhomboideus capitis, serratus ventralis cervicis, extensor carpi radialis, extensor digiti I and II, lumbricales, flexor digiti I brevis, abductor digiti I brevis, and flexor digiti V muscles. The analyses of muscle architecture carried out in nine specimens showed that there was no difference in muscle percentage mass in the thoracic limb of males and females, but a young specimen showed significant lower percentage mass. The triceps brachii caput longus muscle showed the greatest mass, the subscapularis muscle showed the greatest physiological cross‐sectional area value, and the extrinsic muscles, in general, presented the longest fascicles and higher architectural indexes. Muscle architecture data were compatible with those of a thoracic limb adapted to fast cursorial locomotion that prioritizes movements in a sagittal plane instead of rotation or adduction/abduction. There was a high association between functional percentage mass of the muscles in the thoracic limb and phylogeny in the Carnivora order. It may be inferred that carnivoran muscle mass is largely determined by phylogeny.

Objectives This study was undertaken to verify the possible modifications caused by hormonal deprivation in the extracellular matrix in the penises of neutered cats. Methods Twenty-seven penises from domestic shorthair cats were collected: 14 samples from intact cats and 13 from neutered cats. Sections were stained with Weigert’s resorcin-fuchsin, hematoxylin and eosin, and picrosirius red. Histomorphometric analysis was performed using light microscopy and image analysis software. The following parameters were analyzed: density of the elastic fibers and collagen fibers in the corpus spongiosum; density of the elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea of the corpus cavernosum and the tunica albuginea of the corpus spongiosum; luminal area of the urethra; area of the corpus spongiosum; area of the corpus cavernosum; and thickness of the urethral epithelium. The data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test to verify the normal distribution, and groups were compared using Student’s t-test; P Results Significant differences were observed between intact cats and neutered cats in the density of elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea of the corpus cavernosum (8.13% ± 1.38% vs 3.11% ± 0.66%), tunica albuginea of the corpus spongiosum (4.37% ± 1.08% vs 3.30% ± 1.01%) and corpus spongiosum (6.28% ± 3.03% vs 4.10% ± 2.19%), and density of collagen fibers in the corpus spongiosum (34.11% ± 10.86% vs 44.21% ± 12.72%). Conclusions and relevance The results show a significant decrease in the density of the elastic fibers and a significant increase of the density of the collagen fibers in the corpus spongiosum in neutered animals. This suggests that the compliance of the periurethral region is reduced, and these changes could be a predisposing factor for urethral obstructive disease.

Twenty thoracic limbs of ten Lycalopex gymnocercus were dissected to describe origin and distribution of the nerves forming brachial plexuses. The brachial plexus resulted from the connections between the ventral branches of the last three cervical nerves (C6, C7, and C8) and first thoracic nerve (T1). These branches connected the suprascapular, subscapular, axillary, musculocutaneous, radial, median and ulnar nerves to the intrinsic musculature and connected the brachiocephalic, thoracodorsal, lateral thoracic, long thoracic, cranial pectoral and caudal pectoral nerves to the extrinsic musculature. The C7 ventral branches contribute most to the formation of the nerves (62.7%), followed by C8 (58.8%), T1 (40.0%) and C6 (24.6%). Of the 260 nerves dissected, 69.2% resulted from a combination of two or three branches, while only 30.8% originated from a single branch. The origin and innervation area of the pampas fox brachial plexus, in comparison with other domestic and wild species, were most similar to the domestic dog and wild canids from the neotropics. The results of this study can serve as a base for comparative morphofunctional analysis involving this species and development of nerve block techniques. Anat Rec, 300:537-548, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background: Didelphis aurita is a marsupial with wide distribution in the South American continent and highly adapted to urban centres. The objective of this study was to describe the measurements and skeletopy of the kidneys and renal vascularisation of this species. Materials and methods: With this aim, 29 cadavers (14 males and 15 females) of D. aurita collected on highways were analysed. The rostrum-sacral length of specimens, kidney measurements (length, width and thickness) and the length of the renal vessels were measured and the renal skeletopy registered. Results: In the right kidney, average length, width, thickness and ellipsoid volume were 28.6 ± 5.0 mm, 15.6 ± 2.9 mm, 12.8 ± 3.0 mm and 3.3 ± 2.4 cm3, respectively; in the left kidney, 31.0 ± 3.8 mm, 14.5 ± 3.6 mm, 12.6 ± 2.6 mm and 3.2 ± 2.2 cm3, respectively. There was no significant difference in the comparison of averages of renal dimensions between sexes and between antimeres. The right renal artery (13.2 ± 2.6 mm) was significantly longer (p < 0.01) than the left renal artery (10.7 ± 2.3 mm). In contrast, the left renal vein (13.9 ± 3.5 mm) was longer (p < 0.01) than the right renal vein (7.0 ± 2.3 mm). The skeletopy of the right kidney predominated between T13–L1 in 58.6% of the cases and the skeletopy of the left kidney between L1–L3 in 41.4%. The average length of the kidneys corresponded to 6% to 8% of the rostrum-sacral length of the specimens. Conclusions: The data of the present study characterised the measurements and topography of kidneys and renal vessels in D. aurita and can support the interpretation of clinical, experimental and pathological findings in this species.

Variations of the renal veins are well described in the literature, although variations concerning the ureter are considered a rare finding in cats. The circumcaval ureter is one of the rarest variations of the ureter and is characterised by a loop of the ureter posterior to the caudal vena cava. This variant is also known as preureteral vena cava and retrocaval ureter. It is thought to be caused by a deviation during embryonic development of the aforementioned vein. Due to its rarity, there are scarce reports of the circumcaval ureter in cats, and its association with two renal veins makes it less common as well. These variations should be preoperatively identified in order to avoid complications in kidney transplants, ureteral surgeries and cystoscopies, for instance. The present work aims to report two cases of a circumcaval ureter with two renal veins in two different Brazilian shorthair cats (Felis catus).

The purpose of this study was to examine the ovaries and the oviduct of juvenile females of the broad-snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802), using light microscopy, histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. The ovarian cortex was observed to contain groups of germinative cells and abundant previtellogenic follicles at different stages of development. In previtellogenic follicles, the oocyte was surrounded by a single cuboidal layer of granulosa cells, supported by the theca layer. The theca was formed by a concentric layer containing collage nous fibers, predominantly type I, and several smooth muscle fibers. The inner perivitelline layer appeared as a narrow basophilic region between the oocyte and the granulosa. The ovarian medullary region of loose connective tissue contained blood and lymphatic vessels, as well as numerous lacunae, being covered by a simple squamous epithelium, supported by a thin layer of connective tissue. The oviduct of C. latirostris showed five histologically distinct regions: infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus and vagina. The infundibulum was composed of an irregularly folded mucosa covered by a simple columnar epithelium with the presence of ciliated cells, weakly reactive to PAS staining. In the magnum, the mucosa was highly folded, and pseudostratified columnar epithelium contains mucous cells, which reacted positively to PAS staining. The isthmus was lining by an epithelium of ciliated and non-ciliated secretory cells, but no gland was visualized in mucosa. In the uterus, the folded mucosa was composed of a simple epithelium of high cylindrical cells and the lamina propria, which was predominantly formed by strongly birefringent fibers, but yellow-green weakly birefringent fibers were also present. The epithelium of the vagina contained intensely ciliated and non-ciliated cells, both of which were positive to PAS staining and no gland was observed in this region. Although the ovary and the oviduct showed some morphological particularities, they are similar to other crocodilians.

Introduction: Precise knowledge of variations in arterial vascularization of the abdominal viscera is important for systematization of radiological and surgical anatomy in animals that serve as experimental models and in domestic animals. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the origin and main branches of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in rabbits. Materials and Methods: The anatomical dissections were performed in 30 cadavers of adult rabbits, 15 males and 15 females. Results: The cranial mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in females was 2.63 cm and originated at the level oflst lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%), on the 2nd lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%) and at the level of 3rd lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the cranial mesenteric artery in males was 2.56 cm and originated at the level of1st lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra in eight (53.33%), between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra in three (20%). The main ramifications of the cranial mesenteric artery were the caudal pancreatic duodenal, middle colic, jejunal and ileocecocolic arteries. The caudal mesenteric artery arose as a single artery in all females and males. The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in females was 0.846 cm and originated at the level of 5th lumbar vertebra in three (20%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), %), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The average length of the caudal mesenteric artery in males was 0.79 cm and originated at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra in two (13.33%) animals, between the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%), at the level of the 6th lumbar vertebra in seven (46.67%), between the 6th and 7th lumbar vertebra in four (26.67%) and at the level of the 7th lumbar vertebra in one (6.67%). The caudal mesenteric artery arises from the aorta, originating the cranial rectal and left colic arteries. Conclusion: No relation was observed between the mesenteric length and the rostrum-sacral length in rabbits. The origin of the cranial and caudal mesenteric artery is not gender dependent.

The stomach of Rhinella icterica was analyzed at light microscopy, employing histochemical techniques, lectin histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry for identifying enteroendocrine cells (EC). Although the stomach was composed of fundic and pyloric regions, its wall is formed by mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa. The mucosa was lined by a simple columnar mucous epithelium, supported by loose connective tissue. Several tubular, simple glands were composed of mucous neck cells, containing oxynticopeptic cells and EC cells. The mucous neck cells were rich in neutral glycoconjugates. The oxynticopeptic cells were predominant in fundic glands, exhibiting weaker alcianophilic reaction at their apical cytoplasm. Serotonin (5-HT) immunoreactive (IR) cells occurred throughout the entire stomach, preferentially located among mucous cells at upper part of the fundic glands. The muscularis mucosae, formed of smooth muscle, separated the mucosal layer from the submucosa, both of which were constituted by loose connective tissue, but without glands. Lymphoid modules occurred in the mucosa at the boundary at the stomach and the gut. In addition, the muscularis was constituted by two sublayers, the circular internal and the longitudinal external, being recovered by the connective tissue of the serosa.

Heart anatomy in the ostrich has been reported, but there are few information on the histological features of the atrioventricular valves. Hearts of young ostriches were fixed in 10% formaldehyde for 24 h and dissected to characterize their macroscopic anatomy. Samples of valves were harvested and stained with Mallory’s trichrome, Gomori’s trichrome, and Picro-Sirius red, for later analysis. The right atrioventricular valve consists of a muscle flap with two fixations. The left atrioventricular valve consists of two layers of endocardium with a layer of connective tissue between them. The free border of the tricuspid valve supports a varying number of chordae tendineae. One of the cusps is attached to the septum, while the other two cusps are attached to the opposite wall. The aortic valve, as well as the pulmonary trunk valve, consists of three cusps. The right atrioventricular valve showed up only as a muscle flap of myocardium coated with a thin layer of dense connective tissue, with two fixations. In the connective tissue, we find a predominance of type I collagen fibers and a lesser amount of type III, with a small presence of elastic fibers. The presence of Purkinje fibers were also usual in the valvular subendocardium, suggesting that they directly participate in the transmission of nervous stimulation to the muscle fibers within the valves. The left atrioventricular valve consisted of 3 cusps, a dorsal, a left, and a right.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether elastic fiber content in the corpus cavernosum (CC), corpus spongiosum (CS) and tunica albuginea (TA) of the rabbit penis undergoes modifications with age. METHODS: Rabbits were sacrificed, in groups of ten animals each, at 30, 120, 240, and 730 days of age. Histological sections were obtained from the penile middle shaft and were stained with Weigert's resorsin fuchsin. The content of elastic fibers was determined using stereological methods, and was expressed as volume fraction. RESULTS: At 730 days of age, elastic fiber content was increased by 54% (p

The mesenteric arteries of birds are important for the irrigation of the digestive tract and are associated with weight gain and food conversion. This study aimed to describe the origins, skeletopy, measures and main branches of cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in ostriches. Forty-one cadavers of ostrich chicks, 23 males and 18 females, obtained from a farmer after natural death. The cadavers were fixed with 10% formaldehyde solution and their vascular system was filled with colored Petrolatex® S-65. The cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries and its proximal branches were dissected in situ and measured with a digital caliper. The mesenteric artery had an average length of 3.68cm±1.04 and emerged from the descending aorta at the level of the eighth thoracic vertebra in most cases; it branched into jejunal and ileocecal arteries. The jejunal artery sent a mean of 14 (14.04±2.08) branches to the jejunum. The ileocecal artery sent a rectal branch and another branch that irrigated ileum, cecum and rectum. In a male specimen the ileocecal artery was originated from the celiac artery. The caudal mesenteric artery emerged in the terminal portion of the descending aorta predominantly at the level of the 4th and 6th sacrocaudal vertebrae. Near the caudal end of the kidney it issued the cranial and caudal branches. The first irrigated the rectum and anastomosed with the rectal branch of the cranial mesenteric artery; the second irrigated the final part of the rectum, cloaca and cloacal bursa. There was no significant difference (p

Pteronotus personatus as an insectivore bat and has a diet that consists of a high protein diet, whereas the diet of Anoura geoffroyi , a predominantly nectarivore bat, is rich in simple sugars like sucrose, glucose and fructose. Considering that diet influences the activation of different pathways, which may influence morphological adaptations in the gastrointestinal system, the aim of this study was to compare the morphology of the endocrine pancreas in P. personatus and A . geoffroyi . For this, histological, stereological and immunohistochemical methods were used. In P. personatus , the average diameter of the pancreatic islet was 40.47 μm ± 13.94, while in A. geoffroyi was 88.16 μm ± 36.40. The total number of pancreatic islets in P. personatus was 26150 ± 2346 and in A. geoffroyi was 15970 ± 1666. In P. personatus , the volume density of the pancreatic islets was 3.4%± 2.6, whereas in A. geoffroyi the volume density was 6.1% ± 3.7. In addition, the immunodensity of the α, β and δ cells, in P. personatus was 25.8% ± 11.9, 35.5% ± 13.5, 3.9% ± 0.7, respectively, and in A. geoffroyi was 33.10% ± 12.7, 55.08% ± 7.4, 6.2% ± 4.6, respectively. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate differences in the pancreatic weight/body, weight ratio, diameter and volume density of pancreatic islets and in immunodensity of the β and α cells between both species, which have different dietary habits.

El objetivo de esta investigacion fue analizar y cuantificar los cambios de las fibras reticulares en la uretra prostatica de pacientes con hiperplasia prostatica benigna (HPB) y compararlo con un grupo control. Muestras de tejido de uretra prostatica se obtuvieron de diez pacientes (rango de edad 65 a 79 anos, media 66) con sintomas clinicos de obstruccion del tracto urinario inferior que se habian sometido a prostatectomia abierta. Las diez muestras del grupo de control (muestras uretrales de tejido de la zona de transicion) se obtuvieron de prostatas durante la autopsia de sujetos adultos con muerte accidental menores de 25 anos. El Vv de las fibras reticulares se determino con metodos estereologicos de 25 campos al azar por muestra utilizando el metodo de valor de conteo con el sistema M-42. Los datos cuantitativos se analizaron mediante la prueba de Kolmogorov-Smirnov y Mann-Whitney U. El Vv (media ± DE) en el grupo control y BPH, respectivamente, fueron: 23,4 ± 1,8 y 30,3 ± 1,2 (0,001). La BPH causo aumento significativo de fibras reticulares en uretra prostatica.

PURPOSE: To update the gross and sonographic anatomy and propose landmarks to perform ultrasound-guided (US-guided) axillary brachial plexus block (BPB) in rabbits. METHODS: Forty New Zeeland's rabbit (NZR) cadavers were dissected and the nerves were trimmed, identified, measured, and photographed. Additionally, in twenty NZRs, sonographic images of brachial plexus (BP) were performed through a simple-resolution ultrasound device. The US-guided block was achieved through a minimum volume of lidocaine necessary to surround the BP roots. The effectiveness of the brachial plexus block was assessed on sensitivity and motor functions. RESULTS: The BP resulted from connections between the ventral branches of the last four cervical spinal nerves and the first thoracic spinal nerve. In the axillary sonoanatomy, the BP appeared as an agglomerate of small, round hypoechoic structures surrounded by a thin hyperechoic ring. The amount of time and the minimum volume required to perform was 4.3 ± 2.3 min and 0.8 ± 0.3ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The gross and sonographic anatomy of the BP showed uncommon morphological variations. Moreover, from sonographic landmarks, we showed complete reproducibility of the axillary US-guided brachial plexus block with simple resolution equipment and small volume of anesthetics required.

Estudamos em 40 caprinos adultos da raça Bhuj Brasileira os aspectos histológicos do funículo espermático. Observamos que este se acha envolvido por uma cápsula de tecido conjuntivo fibroelástico denso, de espessura variável, pregueada em alguns pontos, e revestida por mesotélio que circunda todo o conjunto vásculo-nervoso, e projeta-se para formar o mesoducto deferente. Em posição subcapsular, verifica-se uma camada de tecido conjuntivo fibroelástico frouxo, de espessura variável, que circunda parcialmente o funículo espermático, isolando nas regiões deferencial e abdeferencial, conjuntos vásculo-nervosos, responsáveis pela nutrição do epidídimo. Na região do mesoducto deferente, o tecido subcapsular acompanhado de tecido adiposo constitui a camada interna deste meso, formando a sua adventícia e abrigando vasos e nervos deferenciais. Na região abdeferencial, pequenos acúmulos de tecido adiposo são vistos de permeio aos vasos e nervos desta região. Entre as artérias, veias e nervos testiculares, bem como entre os vasos das regiões deferencial e abdeferencial, observa-se o tecido conjuntivo denso, intervascular, rico em fibras elásticas, que constitui as adventícias contínuas destes vasos. O arranjo vascular mostra que o segmento da artéria testicular, contido no funículo espermático, apresenta trajeto sinuoso. Estando envolvido pelo plexo venoso pampiniforme, formado por veias testiculares desprovidas de válvulas de calibres variados, apresentando amplas comunicações entre si. As veias responsáveis pela drenagem do epidídimo e ducto deferente estão localizadas em posição subcapsular deferencial e abdeferencial e mostram-se providas de válvulas. O trato das artérias testiculares no funículo espermático apresenta como média e desvio padrão 134,6±38,1cm à direita, e 137,0±33,9cm à esquerda, não existindo diferenças estatisticamente significantes ao nível de 5%, quando comparamos a média do segmento da artéria testicular contida no funículo espermático direito em relação ao esquerdo.

In the study 30 specimens of adult New Zealand rabbits, 13 males and 17 females were used. After fixed with 10% formaldehyde solution and performing the injections with latex solution stained with pigment, the animals were dissected to identify the disposition of the lienal arteries. The statistical analysis was made by the Qui-square (X 2 ) test, with a 5% level of significance, to test if the nullity hypothesis is true for the of lienal artery main ramifications. The relations between the lienal artery and spleen length with rostrum-sacral length were calculated by the correlation coefficient “r” varying between -1 and +1, that is, -1 ? r ?+1. The mean length of the lienal artery was 5.96 cm. In all (100%) dissected rabbits the lienal artery, originated directly from the celiac artery as an only one artery giving different numbers of branches to the spleen: one branch in seven (23.3%) animals, two branches in seven (23.3%) animals, three branches in 10 (33.3%) animals, four branches in four (13.3%) animals and five branches in two (6.7%) animals. From the spleen, the lienal artery gave different numbers of branches to the stomach greater curvature: one branch in seven (23.3%) animals, two in four (13.3%) animals, three in five (16.7%) animals, four in three (10%), and five in only one (3.3%) animal. Positive correlation was observed between the lienal artery and spleen length with the rostrum-sacral length. The number of lienal artery branches is not gender dependent.

A busca pela compreensão do funcionamento do sistema nervoso resultou em um aumento de estudos morfológicos sobre a vascularização encefálica em diferentes espécies animais. As artérias encefálicas são a principal rota para transporte de sangue para o cérebro e, portanto têm um papel essencial na manutenção de atividade normal do mesmo, o que desperta, devido sua importância funcional, o interesse pela realização de vários estudos. A artéria caroticobasilar foi investigada em animais da ordem Perissodactyla, de espécies da família dos eqüídeos. Pesquisou-se a frequência da artéria caroticobasilar em 30 encéfalos de equinos adultos e mestiços, do sexo masculino. As observações realizadas mostraram que este importante vaso apresentou as seguintes frequências absolutas e percentuais: presente em 15(50 %) dos encéfalos examinados sendo 4 (13,3%) no antímero direito, 6 (20%) no antímero esquerdo e 5 (16,7%) em ambos os antímeros.

The brachioradialis is an important muscle that acts in the external rotation of the forearm (supination). However, its occurrence is controversial and little studied in the order Carnivora. Thus, this study investigates the occurrence and anatomo-functional arrangement of this muscle in wild carnivorans species. Fifty-eight thoracic limbs of specimens from species of Canidae, Procyonidae, Mustelidae and Felidae were dissected. Measurements of the length of the muscle (ML), the length of the forearm (FL), latero-medial width of the muscle (MW) and the lateral-medial diameter of the forearm (FD) were obtained to establish the ratios MW/FD and ML/FL in order to investigate the relative proportion of the muscle in relation to the forearm of each species. The brachioradialis muscle was identified in all species, although it was unilaterally or bilaterally absent in some canid individuals. The ratios demonstrated significant differences in the anatomical proportions among the families, with greater functional importance in the mustelids, procyonids, and felids because of a set of elaborate movements in the thoracic limb of representatives of these families when compared to canids.

PURPOSE: To determine the minimum volume of methylene blue (MB) to completely color the brachial plexus (BP) nerves, simulating an effective anesthetic block in cats. METHODS: Fifteen adult male cat cadavers were injected through subscapular approach with volumes of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 ml in both forelimbs, for a total of 30 brachial plexus blocks (BPB). After infusions, the specimens were carefully dissected preserving each nervous branch. The measurement of the effective area was indicated by the impregnation of MB. Nerves were divided into four segments from the origin at the spinal level until the insertion into the thoracic limb muscles. The blocks were considered effective only when all the nerves were strongly or totally colored. RESULTS: Volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered insufficient suggesting a failed block, however, volumes of 5 and 6 ml were associated with a successful block. CONCLUSIONS: The injection of methylene blue, in a volume of 6 ml, completely colored the brachial plexus. At volumes of 5 and 6 ml the brachial plexus blocks were considered a successful regional block, however, volumes of 2, 3 and 4 ml were considered a failed regional block.

The broad-snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris , is widely distributed in countries of South America. In Brazil it is considered an endangered species because of natural habitat destruction and illegal hunting. In reptiles, the thyroid gland plays an integral part in ecdysis, reproduction, tail regeneration, growth, endocrine function and metabolism rate. The aim of the present study was to characterize the thyroid gland morphology of C. latirostris , based on histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. The thyroid glands were fixed in Bouin's fluid and serial cross sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Mallory’s trichrome, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Alcian blue (AB pH 1.5 and 2.5). The immunohistochemical technique for 5-HT-IR cells was used. The thyroid gland has a dense irregular connective tissue forms a capsule enveloping the gland. There are several follicular acini of varying size lined by simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium in the thyroid gland. The follicles are connected by interfollicular connective tissue which contains blood vessels. We observed the presence of lymph nodes around the entire gland. There was a positive PAS reaction and negative AB reaction in the colloid. 5-HT-IR cells were detected around the follicle cells. No striking morphological differences were observed between C. latirostris and other domesticated mammals.

Samples of ten penises of Mediterranean buffaloes and ten penises of Red Sindhi cattle were used. The thickness of the tunica albuginea (TA), distribution of smooth muscle cells (SMC) and volume density (Vv) of elastic system fibers in TA, corpus cavernosum (CC) and corpus spongiosum (CS) were evaluated. The Vv of elastic system fibers in buffalo and bovine penis was respectively 4.07% ±0.88% and 3.36% ±1.21% in TA; 17.32% ±2.21% and 13.14% ±1.27% (CC), 26.58% ±4.31% and 31.36% ±3.67% (CS). The CC of buffalo presented higher Vv of elastic fibers than bovine, while in the CS the Vv of elastic fibers in buffaloes was smaller than in cattle. The TA thickness showed a significant difference among the species studied. The arrangement of SMC in the bovine penises and in the water buffalo suggests that this pattern is common to animals that have fibroelastic penises. O pênis dos zebuinos e bubalinos são classificados como do tipo fibroelástico, sendo grande parte de sua rigidez conferida pelas fibras colágenas e elásticas presentes na matriz extracelular. Embora alguns estudos tenham abordado estes componentes em bovinos europeus, os dados na literatura sobre zebuínos e bubalinos são escassos. Nós avaliamos a espessura da túnica albugínea, a distribuição das células musculares lisas e a densidade volumétrica (Vv) das fibras do sistema elásticona túnica albugínea, no corpo cavernoso e esponjoso do pênis de animais jovens adultos inteiros.Foram utilizados 10 fragmentos de pênis de búfalos da raça Mediterrâneo e 10 fragmentos de pênis de bovinos da raça Red Sindi. Os fragmentos de pênis foram processados de acordo com a técnica histológica de rotina para inclusão em parafina e corados pela Fucsina Resorcina de Weigert, Picro Sirius Red, Tricrômio de Gomori e anticorpo anti α actina. As fibras elásticas foram determinadas em 25 campos aleatórios de cada fragmento, utilizando o sistema teste modelo M42. A Vv das fibras do sistema elástico no pênis do búfalo e bovino foram(média e desvio padrão respectivamente) de 4,07% ±0,88 e 3,36% ±1,21 na túnica albugínea; 17,32% ±2,21 e 13,14% ±1,27 no corpo cavernoso; 26,58% ±4,31 e 31,36% ±3,67 no corpo esponjoso, respectivamente. Houve diferença na Vv das fibras elásticas entre as duas espécies, no corpo cavernoso e no corpo esponjoso. Na espessura da túnica albugínea houve diferença significativa entre o búfalo Mediterrâneo (1,4mm ±0,11) e o bovino Red Sindi (1,76mm ±0,23). Nas duas espécies, as fibras musculares lisas foram encontradas apenas associadas ao endotélio de revestimento dos seios cavernosos. Com base nestes resultados, podemos concluir que existem diferenças na proporção entre os componentes da matriz extracelular nas espécies estudadas, fato que deve ser considerado nos procedimentos clínicos e cirúrgicos veterinários e continua a ser investigado.

Objective To assess the morphological changes of penile vascular structures and the corpus cavernosum area in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Materials and Methods Twenty male rabbits (2 months old) were divided into two groups with 10 rabbits each, the control group (CG) and the diabetic group (DG). The animals from DG received an intravenous injection of alloxan (100mg/kg) to induce the diabetes. Ten weeks after the induction of diabetes, all animals were euthanized. Two fragments of the penile shaft were harvested and samples were processed and paraffin embedded. Sections (5µm) were cut and stained for histological and immunohistochemical markers. Results Nuclear protrusion toward the lumen, and cytoplasmic vacuolization were observed in the tunica intima of the dorsal artery of the penis in DG. The thicknesses of the tunica media increased significantly in DG (p = 0.0350). It was also observed a significant increase in the area of the tunica media (p = 0.0179). There was no significant change in smooth muscle cell density in the tunica media of the dorsal artery of the penis (p = 0.0855). The collagen fiber pattern of the tunica adventitia of the dorsal artery of the penis was different between the control and diabetic groups. There was a significant decrease in the area occupied by the cavernous sinuses in DG (p = 0.0013). Conclusion Alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in rabbits promotes important changes in penile vascular structures, thereby decreasing blood supply and affecting penile hemodynamics, leading to erectile dysfunction.

IV PhD, Full Professor, Urogenital Research Unit, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. Conception and design of the study, interpretation of data, critical revision. PhD, Associate Professor, Urogenital Research Unit, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. Conception and design of the study, interpretation of data, statistical analysis, manuscript writing. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To investigate whether elastic fiber content in the corpus cavernosum (CC), corpus spongiosum (CS) and tunica albuginea (TA) of the rabbit penis undergoes modifications with age. METHODS: Rabbits were sacrificed, in groups of ten animals each, at 30, 120, 240, and 730 days of age. Histological sections were obtained from the penile middle shaft and were stained with Weigert's resorsin fuchsin. The content of elastic fibers was determined using stereological methods, and was expressed as volume fraction. RESULTS: At 730 days of age, elastic fiber content was increased by 54% (p

article i nfo Diphylla ecaudata is a vampire bat that mainly feeds on the blood of birds. This highly specialized diet - hematophagy - is accompanied by a series of morphological changes in the gastro-entero-pancreatic system, since the distribution and relative proportions of different pancreatic endocrine cell types can vary between species due to different physiological conditions and eating habits. The aim of this study was to examine for the first time the pancreas of the vampire bat D. ecaudata using morphological, stereological and immunohis- tochemical techniques. The pancreas of the D. ecaudata has an exocrine acinar portion in which the highest concentration of pancreatic islets is scattered. These pancreatic islets have irregular size and a mean diameter of 56.94 μm. The total number of islets in the pancreas was 23,900, with a volumetric density of 4.1%. Insulin-immunoreactive (IR) cells were located in the central pancreatic islet region and had the largest den- sity (54.8%). Glucagon-IR cells were located mainly in the peripheral mantle region (16.2%), along with somatostatin-IR (SS) cells (14.3%). Cells immunoreactive to insulin, glucagon and somatostatin were also observed to have spread in isolated places in the exocrine pancreas. In the connective tissue near the pancre- atic ducts, a high concentration was identified of insulin-IR cells and a low concentration of glucagon-IR and somatostatin-IR cells. These results indicate that although the pancreas of D. ecaudata has morphological similarities with that of other mammals, it has a differentiated islet structure, because there were a large number of islets and different volumetric densities of α, β and δ cells.

The corpus cavernosum (CC) extracellular matrix is essential for normal penile erection and is implicated in erectile dysfunction. Although investigations of these issues have used the rabbit CC, organization of its components is not well known to date. We characterized and quantified the volumetric density (Vv) of the elastic system fibers in the corpus spongiosum (CS), CC and tunica albuginea (TA) of the rabbit penis. Adult New Zealand rabbits (n = 10) were used. The penile mid-shaft fragments were fixed with 4% phosphate-buffered formalin solution and/or Bouin's liquid for 24-48 h, and processed using standard histological techniques. The sections were stained with Weigert's Fucsin-Resorcin with previous oxidation. The elastic system fibers Vv (%) was determined in 25 random fields of each fragment, using the M-42 test grid. The histochemical methods detected elastic system fibers in CS, CC and TA of all animals. The Vv of elastic fibers average was 25.03+/-2.0% for CC, 32.23+/-1.41% for CS and 22.38+/-3.61% for TA. Results for CC and CS were not significantly different. The great amount of elastic fibers distribution beneath the endothelium suggest that these fibers may have an important role in the erection process in rabbits. The present data should therefore provide important information for devising experiments and interpreting results when using the rabbit penis as a model for penile dysfunctions, especially when making comparisons with humans.

The presence of the multiple renal artery in dogs, supplying the left kidney, has been reported in 12-15%. New surgery technics in the urogenital tract and the utilization of model for renal transplantation are of clinical significance when considering surgery of that kidney. Courses of anatomy directed veterinary medicine and animal anatomy for students of courses of graduation in the areas of agrarian and biological sciences, use anatomical material proceeding from domestic animals in considerable volume. The use of the material of the laboratories of anatomy for studies of frequency of anatomical variations constitutes way of together contribution to the applied areas, such as the surgery and the clinic. The objective of this report is to presentation of the left multiple renal artery case, originating from the ventral portion of the aorta, in female dog cadaver, with two months, formalin-preserved at 10% and with latex colored vascular injected.