Ascending renal infection following experimental candiduria by Candida tropicalis in immunocompromised mice.

The present study evaluated renal infection resulting from the implantation of C. tropicalis in the bladder of immunosuppressed mice. Yeasts were implanted in two manners: planktonic and via preformed biofilm on a small catheter fragment (SCF). Renal histopathology and cultures was performed 72 and 144 h after cystotomy was carried out in mice from three groups: group I contained non-contaminated mice implanted with a sterile SCF; group II mice received a sterile SCF plus a yeast suspension containing 1 × 107 yeasts/mL in a planktonic form; group III mice were implanted with a SCF containing preformed C. tropicalis biofilm. Viable yeasts were found in the kidneys of mice from both groups II and III. However, after 72 h the planktonic cells (group II) invaded more quickly than the sessile cells (group III). Over a longer period (144 h), group III exhibited a more invasive infection (50% of the animals presented renal infection and the renal fungal load was 3.2 log10 CFU/g tissue) than in group II, where yeasts were not found. C. tropicalis introduced into the bladder in two ways (in planktonic or biofilm form) were able to reach the kidney and establish a renal fungal infection, causing interstitial disorders. The data of the present study therefore support the hypothesis of an ascending pathway for renal infections by C. tropicalis. Furthermore, the biofilm resulted in a greater and progressive risk of renal infection, attributed to the slow detachment of the yeasts.

Histological evaluation of sheep ovarian tissue after laparoscopic partial ovariectomy.

In the present study, there was assessment of the damage to tissue caused by partial laparoscopic ovariectomy using bipolar forceps in sheep. Fragments of ovaries of six sheep were removed using bipolar forceps by making a transverse section in the middle third of the organ via three-portals that were made using laparoscopy. The fragments were subjected to standard histological examinations and the lesions attributed to the procedure were investigated using an optical microscope and Image J software. The results were assessed using an analysis of variance and the Tukey test. All the laminae had minimal tissue damage. The mean amount of highly damaged tissue was 1.8%, and of partially damaged tissue was 5.6%. The mean total area of healthy tissue in the fragments was 94.4%. The results of the study indicate this procedure can be conducted withvery little tissue damage occurring. The use of this procedure, therefore, can be incorporated in future reproductive studies without altering the functions of the in situ ovarian tissues.

B-mode ultrasonography and ecobiometric parameters for assessment of embryonic and fetal development in sheep.

The aim in this study was to evaluate the maternal-fetal development during physiological gestation in sheep by means of ultrasonography and to predict the gestational age by mathematical formulae. Thirty Santa Inês sheep were included. Evaluations were performed weekly from the 3rd to 21st gestational week. The Shapiro test was used to determine normality of the data, and Spearman test was used for determining correlations of real or transformed measurements as gestation advanced. If there was a significant difference detected, variable adjustments and gestational weeks were tested using regression models. Significance level was set at 5% and the results presented as mean ± SD. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used for data clustering and graphic analysis. The gestational vesicle, abdominal, thoracic, biparietal, ocular orbit, and placentome diameters; and the lengths of crown-to-rump, nuchal to snout, scapula, humerus, radius, metacarpus, femur, tibia, metatarsal, heart length, heart width and kidneys were measured. Using pulsed Doppler ultrasonography, heart rate (HR) was obtained. The greatest coefficients of determination (r²) were obtained for the biparietal diameter (BPD; 96.5%) and metacarpus length (MCAR; 93%), followed by the abdominal diameter (AD; 91.7%) and heart width (HTW; 90.2%). The PCA analysis indicated graphically that at week 8 to 9, there was no significant change related to technique, whereas, at weeks 19, 20, and 21 a decrease in growth was observed, with the greatest data variability at week 19. Ultrasonographic assessments indicated there were significant correlations between developmental stages of all maternal-fetal structures and the gestational age, which can be used as reference values for gestational age assessments and detection of development abnormalities.