Serum testosterone, sperm quality, cytological, physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of the prostatic fraction of dogs with prostatomegaly.

Prostatomegaly is a common finding in older non-neutered dogs. This study compared the serum testosterone, sperm quality and characteristics of the prostatic fraction between healthy dogs and dogs with prostatomegaly. Blood samples of ten dogs (five dogs from each group) were taken for serum testosterone measurement. Sperm motility, vigour, concentration, viability, membrane functionality and morphology were analysed in sperm-rich fraction. Osmolality, pH, cell types, and albumin, haemoglobin, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and chloride were analysed in prostatic fraction. Dogs with prostatomegaly have the lowest sperm motility, vigour, concentration and functional membrane. Dogs with prostatomegaly have the highest glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. Glucose was the only constituent positively correlated with serum testosterone and prostate volume. It can be concluded that dogs with prostatomegaly have poorer sperm quality, and glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol in prostatic fraction can be used as prostatomegaly biomarkers.

Different associations of cryoprotectants for testicular tissue of prepubertal cats submitted to vitrification.

The cryopreservation of testicular tissue is presented as the only alternative for the preservation of genetic material from prepubertal animals. However, this biotechnology is still being tested. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different associations of cryoprotectants and the potential of cell proliferation after vitrification of testicular tissue of prepubertal cats. Five testicular pairs from five prepubertal cats were used, and each pair was divided into four fragments. Of these, one fragment composed of the control group (CG) and the rest were distributed in experimental groups according to the associations of cryoprotectants to be tested (dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)/glycerol (GLY); ethylene glycol (EG)/GLY) or DMSO/EG) in a final cryoprotectant concentration of 5.6 m. The fragments were submitted to vitrification, and after one week, fragments were heated and processed for histomorphological evaluation and quantification of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). DMSO/GLY did not differ from CG and was superior to the other vitrified groups, as to cell separation and degree of shrinkage of the basal membrane. Concerning cell differentiation, visibility of the nucleus and nuclear condensation, all the vitrified groups were inferior to CG; however, DMSO/EG was inferior to DMSO/GLY and EG/GLY, which did not differ among themselves. CG was superior to all groups in quantification of NORs. DMSO/EG was inferior to all others, and there was no difference between DMSO/GLY and EG/GLY. The association DMSO/GLY presented the best preservation of tissue integrity and potential of cell proliferation after vitrification of the testicular tissue of prepubertal cats.

Cisticercose suína, teníase e neurocisticercose humana no município de Barbalha, Ceará / Porcine cysticercosis, taeniasis and human neurocysticercosis in municipal district of Barbalha, Ceará

Em Barbalha, Ceará, foram realizados levantamentos de casos de cisticercose suína, teníase e neurocisticercose humana causadas por Taenia solium, e realizou-se uma pesquisa quanto aos sistemas de criação de suínos na região. De 85 suínos abatidos em abatedouro local 4,7 por cento apresentavam cisticercose, a maioria dos cisticercos localizava-se na língua e coração. Entre 2001 e 2004, das 302 criações de suínos denunciadas à vigilância sanitária, 96,6 por cento eram chiqueiros. A teníase, entre 1998 e 2003, correspondeu a 1,1 por cento das verminoses diagnosticadas pela Secretária de Saúde Municipal. Entre 2001 e 2003, os casos de neurocisticercose humana corresponderam a 5 por cento das tomografias de crânio requisitadas nos hospitais da região.

In Barbalha, municipal district of Ceará state, an assessment of cases of porcine cysticercosis, taeniasis and human neurocysticercosis caused by the Taenia solium was performed in order to evaluate the situation of these diseases. It was also carried out a research about the types of swine farms registered in the area. Considering the 85 swine slaughtered at the slaughterhouse of Barbalha, 4.7 percent presented cysticercosis. Most cysticerci were located in the tongue and in the heart. Between 2001 and 2004, from 302 swine farms denounced to the Sanitary Surveillance, 9.6 percent were pigsties. Taeniasis, between 1998 and 2003, corresponded to 1.1 percent of the helminthes diagnosed by the Municipal Health Office. From 2001 to 2003, the cases of human neurocysticercosis corresponded to 5 percent of the skull tomographies requested in the hospitals of the area.

Relaçäo entre perímetro escrotal e concentraçäo espermática em cäes, clinicamente normais, da raça Pastor Alemäo / Relationship between scrotal circumference and spermatic concentration in normal clinical German Shepherd dogs

The aim of this study was to estimate the correlation between scrotal girth and spermatic concentration in German Sheepherd dogs. Thirteen German Sheepherd dogs were used and 44 semen samples were obtained by digital manipulation. The ejaculate was separated in its three fractions. The sperm rich fraction was kept for evaluation and determination of spermatic concentration by spectrofotometry. The parameters were expressed as mean and standard deviation. Spearman correlation test was used to estimate the correlation between spermatic concentration and scrotal girth. The mean spermatic concentration was 568.45±314.91x10(6) sptz/ml and the mean scrotal girth was17.6±1.6 cm and the correlation was r = 0.10. It can be conclude that scrotal girth can not be an appropriate measurement as indicative of spermatic concentration in German Sheepherd dogs