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Horse withers height is frequently estimated based on skeletal remains during archeozoological analyses. The routinely used methods (Vitt and Kiesewalter) do not allow withers height estimation without complete long bone and skull osteometry. The modified Wyrost and Kucharczyk formula is based on the internal dimensions of the cranial cavity. This method can be used even when the neurocranium is the only surviving portion of the skull. Earlier investigation demonstrated that it can be used as a substitute for the Kiesewalter method. The statistical analyses of the results achieved using metapodial bones are strongly correlated with the results achieved using the Wyrost and Kucharczyk method. A unique horse skull assemblage, dating back to medieval times, was unearthed from several archeological sites in Poland (Silesia, Kuyavia, Grater Poland, Western Pomerania, and Eastern Pomerania). This study aimed to estimate the withers height of this assemblage using the modified Wyrost and Kucharczyk method. Subsequently, these estimations were compared with accessible literature data from both medieval Poland and surrounding territories. The literature indicates that the horses from Western Pomerania, Silesia, and Kuyavia were larger than the animals from Eastern Pomerania. Our results show that horses from Western Pomerania were larger than those from Silesia, Kuyavia, and Eastern Pomerania. In both cases, the Western Pomeranian horses are the largest. In general, according to our results and the accessible literature, it seems true that Polish medieval horse populations can be described as medium‐ and small‐sized, according to Vitt's classification. The modified Wyrost and Kucharczyk formula can be used as an additional or alternative method of calculating withers height in routine archeozoological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed to establish the contribution of the dorsal branch of the accessory nerve ( DBXI) to the innervation of the porcine trapezius muscle ( TRAP). Combined retrograde tracing using fluorescent tracer Fast blue ( FB) and surgical denervation procedure (excision of DBXI segment) were applied . FB+ neurons supplying the cervical (c- TRAP) and thoracic part (th- TRAP) of TRAP were localized in following nerve centres: the ipsilateral ventral horn of the grey matter of cervical neuromers, ipsilateral spinal ganglia and bilateral sympathetic chain ganglia. After the excision of DBXI segment, no FB+ motoneurons supplying c- TRAP were found while the mean number of those supplying th- TRAP was significantly decreased. A slight decrease in average numbers of sensory and autonomic neurons implemented in the innervation of both parts of TRAP was also observed. This study has revealed that in the pig DBXI is the only motor pathway to c- TRAP while the vast majority of motoneurons supplying porcine th- TRAP send their axons via DBXI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the innervation of the urethral muscle in adult male pigs was investigated using combined NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry and immunocytochemistry. Nerve fibres supplying the urethral muscle were found to show NADPH-d activity and they also expressed immunoreactivity to catecholamine synthesising enzymes including tyrosine hydoxylase (TH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) as well as to: vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Different subpopulations of the nerve fibres (NADPH-d positive, TH-, DbetaH-, VIP- and NPY-immunoreactive (IR), but also NADPH-d/VIP- and NADPH-d/NPY-IR) were disclosed. These nerve fibres were observed not only to run among muscle fibres of the urethral muscle, but also within extrinsic nerve trunks. Moreover, in the organ studied, numerous ganglia were found. The intramural ganglia, composed of a few to 30 neurons were located in the proximal, middle and distal regions of the pelvic urethra. In the vicinity of the urethral muscle, there were mainly small ganglia containing two to several neurons, but also larger ganglia consisting of up to tens neurons were encountered in the connective tissue surrounding the pelvic urethra. In the ganglia observed in the neighbourhood of the urethral muscle, different subpopulations of nerve cells were found, namely: catecholaminergic, nitrergic, VIP-IR, NPY-IR and also NADPH-d/DbetaH-, NADPH-d/VIP- and NADPH-d/NPY-positive. Possible sources of the innervation for this muscle were also discussed.

The aim of the present study was to determine: (i) the presence of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH)- and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibres in the wall of the porcine ovarian artery, (ii) the influence of NPY and norepinephrine (NE) on the contractile activity of the pig ovarian arteries, and (iii) the pharmacological analysis of the interaction between NPY and NE in the isolated porcine ovarian arteries collected from immature pigs and from animals in different days of the estrous cycle. Ovarian arteries for immunohistochemistry and isolated arteries for pharmacological studies were excised from immature pigs and mature animals on days 1-5, 8-13 and 17-20 of the estrous cycle. The study showed that both DbetaH- and NPY-IR nerve fibres were present in the pig ovarian arteries in all periods examined, and, that in some fibres DbetaH and NPY were co-localized. Both NE (10(-6) M) and NPY (10(-7) M) increased blood pressure of examined preparations, however, NE caused stronger changes in the vessel wall tension (P<0.001), than did NPY. NE significantly increased (P<0.001) blood pressure of all isolated arteries, however, this response was stronger in vessels from days 1-5 of the cycle, when compared to days 8-13 (P<0.01), 17-20 and immature pigs (P<0.001). NPY increased significantly blood pressure in isolated arteries from days 8-13 and 17-20 of the cycle (P<0.001), while in preparations taken from immature pigs and animals on days 1-5 of the estrous cycle this response was somewhat weaker (P<0.01). A higher elevation (P<0.001) of blood pressure after NPY administration was observed in isolated arteries from days 17-20 of the cycle, when compared to vessels from days 1-5 and 8-13 and those from immature pigs. Moreover, NE significantly intensified (P<0.001) an increase in the blood pressure in isolated arteries pre-treated with NPY in all periods examined. NPY insignificantly (P>0.05) potentiated increase of blood pressure in NE pre-treated vessels of immature pigs and in isolated arteries from days 17-20 of the cycle and significantly (P<0.05) in vessels from days 1-5 and 8-13 of the estrous cycle. Our results indicate that DbetaH- and NPY-IR nerve fibres are present in the pig ovarian arteries. NE and NPY administered alone increased blood pressure in the pig isolated ovarian artery and simultaneous administration of both substances caused each other potentiation of vasocontractile effect, however, the strength of observed changes was dependent on the stage of the estrous cycle.

The present study was designed to investigate and to compare the chemical coding of nerve fibres supplying major populations of neurons in the caudal mesenteric (CaMG) and anterior pelvic (APG) ganglion in juvenile male pigs (n=5) using double-labelling immunofluorescence. The co-existence patterns of some biologically active substances including tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) as well as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), Leu5-enkephalin (LENK) and serotonin (5-HT) were analysed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. Profound differences in the neurochemical features of the nerve terminals between the ganglia were observed. Moreover, there were also distinct differences in the chemical coding of nerve fibres associated with the particular populations and subpopulations of neurons within the ganglia. In both ganglia, nearly all adrenergic and cholinergic neurons were supplied with VAChT-positive nerve fibres (putative preganglionic fibres). However, in the CaMG, they were more numerous and, in contrast to the APG, many of them also stained for VIP. In the APG, a great number of nerve terminals expressed immunoreactivity to SP and CGRP (putative collaterals of sensory neurons). Interestingly, they densely supplied almost exclusively adrenergic neurons. SP-positive nerve fibres were moderate in number in the CaMG, but, in addition to VAChT-IR nerve terminals, the most numerous populations of nerve fibres in this ganglion were those expressing highly colocalized immunoreactivities to CGRP and LENK, and those which stained for 5-HT (putative processes of enteric neurons). However, these fibres supplied almost exclusively larger, intensely stained for TH and clustered adrenergic neurons. This diversity of the nerve terminals reflects the complexity of nerve circuits involved in the innervation of structures supplied by neurons in the porcine CaMG and APG. It also demonstrates the importance of nerve inputs for the proper function of autonomic neurons and thus their target tissues.

Ontogeny of the catecholaminergic system of the preoptic area (PA) was studied in various animal species including mice, rats, cats and lower vertebrates. Until now, there has been no data about development of catecholaminergic structures in the porcine PA. To study this problem, hypothalami from six groups of animals were collected. Three groups of foetuses (70, 84 and 112 days old) and three groups of female pigs (1 day, 10 weeks and 7-8 months old) were used. Nerve structures immunoreactive for the studied substances: tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) and phenylethanoloamine-N-metylthransferase (PNMT) were observed in different periods. In PA, TH-IR (immunoreactive) structures appeared before 70th day of foetal life, DbetaH-IR between 70th and 84th day of foetal live and PNMT-IR only in 10-week old and adult animals. In the PA of 70-day old foetuses, single smooth and varicose nerve fibres immunoreactive only to TH were found. In PA of 84-day old foetuses, additionally, single nerve cell bodies immunoreactive to TH were shown and some of them also contained immunoreactivity to DbetaH. In PA of 1-day old piglets, moderate numbers of nerve fibres immunoreactive to TH and only single TH/DbetaH-IR nerve terminals were observed. TH-IR nerve cell bodies were also moderate in number and many of them contained simultaneously immunoreactivity to DbetaH. In PA of 10-week old pigs, a moderate number of immunopositive nerve fibres was observed. They contained mainly TH, but part of them stained also for TH/DbetaH. Only very few nerve fibres containing exclusively DbetaH were found. These nerve terminals were observed in a close vicinity of blood vessels. In PA, moderate numbers of TH-IR nerve cell bodies were found, some of them contained also immunoreactivity to DH but never to PNMT. Perikarya containing PNMT were TH-negative. In the PA of sexually mature sows, additional, single, large nerve cell bodies (about 35 microm in a diameter) containing TH only were found. In many cases, TH- and DbetaH-IR "basket-like" structures surrounding nerve cell bodies were seen, suggesting an influence of those fibres on the neuronal activity.