Accessory Ligament of the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon of the Horse Forelimb and Its Relationship with the Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon: A Plastination, Histological, and Morphometry Study.

The accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (AL-DDFT) plays a crucial role in the stay apparatus of the horse. This study aimed to investigate the anatomical relationship between the AL-DDFT, the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), and other structures in the metacarpal region. Sixteen distal forelimbs from eight horses, aged 1 to 6 years, were evaluated through macroscopic, microscopic, and morphometric analyses, utilizing detailed dissection, E12 plastinated sections, and histological analysis.

The pathophysiological impact of intra-abdominal hypertension in pigs.

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome are common with clinically significant consequences. We investigated the pathophysiological effects of raised IAP as part of a more extensive exploratory animal study. The study design included both pneumoperitoneum and mechanical intestinal obstruction models.

The immunolocalization of HIF-2α, GLUT1 and CAIX in porcine oviduct during the estrous cycle.

Oxygen (O ) rates in the oviduct are essential to human and animal reproduction. These rates are regulated by the activity of hypoxia markers such as the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), the glucose transporters (GLUT), and the carbonic anhydrase (CA). In the porcine model, scarce studies have been reported regarding these markers and their effects in reproduction are unknown.

The Heart of the Killer Whale: Description of a Plastinated Specimen and Review of the Available Literature.

The killer whale (, Linnaeus, 1958) is the largest extant delphinid. Despite its worldwide distribution in the wild and in dolphinariums, its anatomy remains relatively poorly described. In the present study, we describe the detailed morphology of a plastinated killer whale heart.

Reproductive fluids, used for the in vitro production of pig embryos, result in healthy offspring and avoid aberrant placental expression of PEG3 and LUM.

Background: In vitro embryo production (IVP) and embryo transfer (ET) are two very common assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in human and cattle. However, in pig, the combination of either procedures, or even their use separately, is still considered suboptimal due to the low efficiency of IVP plus the difficulty of performing ET in the long and contorted uterus of the sow. In addition, the potential impact of these two ART on the health of the offspring is unknown.

Influence of the myotome zone and sex on the muscle cellularity and fillet texture of diploid and triploid turbots L.

The muscle and textural parameters were analyzed in four myotome zones (epaxial upper, hipoaxial upper, epaxial bottom, and hipoaxial bottom) in seven diploids (D) and seven triploids (T) turbot specimens. Diploid specimens showed the highest values of the size and number of white fibers in the epaxial zones, being such values higher in female than male specimens. In triploid specimens, the highest fibers sizes were found in the upper zones (epaxial and hipoaxial), whereas the lowest number and density of fibers were found in the epaxial upper zone.

Mimicking the temperature gradient between the sow's oviduct and uterus improves in vitro embryo culture output.

This work was designed to determine temperature conditions within the reproductive tract of the female pig and study their impact on ARTs. Temperatures were recorded using a laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery assisted approach and a miniaturized probe. Sows and gilts were used to address natural cycle and ovarian stimulation treatments, respectively.

Plastinated macroparasites, an alternative resource for use in practical lessons.

The plastination technique is a recently developed option to preserve biological tissues widely used in human and veterinary anatomy. This process allows one to obtain real, safe, clean, dry, resistant and permanently stable material without any additional treatment or maintenance. All these advantages are associated with the rapid expansion of plastination during recent decades in a high number of educational institutions.

Device-assisted enteroscopy training. A rapid review.

Device-assisted enteroscopy is currently lacking a validated training model, in contrast to the other major technique used for the study of the small bowel, namely capsule endoscopy. Training should be based on defining and achieving competency for the acquisition of the knowledge and skills required to perform enteroscopy in a safe and effective manner. The need for training is clear, since the technique is considered an advanced endoscopy form that requires maneuvers that differ from the usual ones that must be learned, in addition to specific equipment.

E12 technique: Conventional epoxy resin sheet plastination.

Epoxy plastination techniques were developed to obtain thin transparent body slices with high anatomical detail. This is facilitated because the plastinated tissue is transparent and the topography of the anatomical structures well preserved. For this reason, thin epoxy slices are currently used for research purposes in both macroscopic and microscopic studies.

Plastination-A scientific method for teaching and research.

Over the last four decades, plastination has been one of the best processes of preservation for organic tissue. In this process, water and lipids in biological tissues are replaced by polymers (silicone, epoxy, polyester) which are hardened, resulting in dry, odourless and durable specimens. Nowadays, after more than 40 years of its development, plastination is applied in more than 400 departments of anatomy, pathology, forensic sciences and biology all over the world.

Ultra-thin sectioning and grinding of epoxy plastinated tissue.

With classical sheet plastination techniques such as E12, the level and thickness of the freeze-cut sections decide on what is visible in the final sheet plastinated sections. However, there are other plastination techniques available where we can look for specific anatomical structures through the thickness of the tissue. These techniques include sectioning and grinding of plastinated tissue blocks or thick slices.

Morphological changes in the porcine cervix: A comparison between nulliparous and multiparous sows with regard to post-cervical artificial insemination.

In recent decades, new artificial insemination (AI) methods, such as post-cervical AI (PCAI), have been developed in pig. PCAI involves crossing the cervix to deposit the sperm in the uterine body. Although PCAI application in sows is frequent, its application in nulliparous (gilts) females it is still limited due to the difficulty of passing through the cranial part of the cervical lumen.

Intestinal histopathological changes in a porcine model of pneumoperitoneum-induced intra-abdominal hypertension.

Background: Low splanchnic perfusion is an immediate effect of pneumoperitoneum-induced intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH). Anatomical structure results in the intestinal mucosa being the area most sensitive to hypoperfusion. The relationship between intestinal injury and clinical parameters of tissue perfusion [abdominal perfusion pressure (APP), gastric intramucosal pH (pH) and lactic acid (Lc)] has not been previously studied.

Mimicking physiological O2 tension in the female reproductive tract improves assisted reproduction outcomes in pig.

Study Question: Is O2 tension in the pig oviduct and uterus affected by the estrous cycle stage and the animal's age, and can the outcome of in vitro embryo development be improved by mimicking these physiological values?

Summary Answer: O2 tension within the pig reproductive organs is affected by the animal's age, and values close to those measured in vivo have a positive impact on embryo development and quality when used during IVF and embryo culture (EC).

What Is Known Already: To obtain a healthy embryo in vitro, it is necessary to adopt a culture microenvironment that approximates physiological conditions. Despite advances in surgical procedures and sensitive probes that allow accurate assessment of in vivo O2 tension, few such studies have been conducted recently in mammals.

Time-course evaluation of intestinal structural disorders in a porcine model of intra-abdominal hypertension by mechanical intestinal obstruction.

Background: A mechanical intestinal obstruction (MIO) can generate intraabdominal hypertension (IAH) that is life threatening. The intestines are very sensitive to IAH since the low splanchnic perfusion causes intestinal hypoxia, local acidosis and bacterial translocations. This may lead to acute intestinal distress syndrome (AIDS).

Evidences supporting the vascular etiology of post-double balloon enteroscopy pancreatitis: Study in porcine model.

Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is an endoscopic technique broadly used to diagnose and treat small bowel diseases. Among the associated complications of the oral DBE, post-procedure pancreatitis has taken the most attention due to its gravity and the thought that it might be associated to the technique itself and anatomical features of the pancreas. However, as the etiology has not been clarified yet, this paper aims to review the published literature and adds new results from a porcine animal model.

Temperature gradients in vivo influence maturing male and female gametes in mammals: evidence from the cow.

Since 1980 several reports have indicated that temperatures vary between preovulatory follicles and other ovarian tissues in rabbit, cow, pig and human. However, these observations did not achieve prominence; they were regarded as artefacts due to the use of anaesthetics and open surgery (laparotomy). Recently, without resorting to anaesthesia or surgery, direct measurements of temperature in preovulatory follicles have been performed in the cow by means of a thermistor probe introduced into the antrum under ultrasonic guidance.

Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor system (VEGF) in the porcine oviduct during the estrous cycle.

The expression and localization of VEGFA and its main receptors Flt-1 and KDR is characterized in the oviduct throughout the porcine estrous cycle. Oviducts were sampled from sows at early follicular, late follicular, early luteal and late luteal stages of the estrous cycle and a segment from the mid portion of the ampulla and isthmus studied by real time RT-PCR and quantitative immunohistochemistry. The expression of the three components of the VEGF system was continuous, although differences were observed depending on the oviduct portion, the stage of the estrous cycle and the histological layer.

Effect of the manipulation of the duodenal papilla during double balloon enteroscopy.

Aim: To determine the hypothesis that inflating the balloons in the duodenal papilla determines changes in the biochemical markers of pancreatitis.

Methods: Four groups of pigs were used: Group papilla (GP), the overtube's balloon was inflated in the area of the papilla; GP + double balloon enteroscopy (GP + DBE), the overtube's balloon was kept inflated in the area of the papilla for 20 min before a DBE; Group DBE (GDBE), DBE was carried out after insuring the balloon's inflation far from the pancreatic papilla; and Group control (GC). Serum concentrations of amylase, lipase and C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated.

Plastination in Anatomy Learning: An Experience at Cambridge University.

Due to lack of objective data, the benefits of using plastination in combination with wet dissection in teaching gross anatomy are unknown. The aim of this study was to obtain objective evidence from students regarding the effectiveness of combining plastinated specimens (PS) with an established gross anatomy education program at Cambridge University that uses wet cadaver dissection and small-group tutorials. For a complete academic year, a total of 135 PS were used alongside wet cadaver dissections.

Mechanical Intestinal Obstruction in a Porcine Model: Effects of Intra-Abdominal Hypertension. A Preliminary Study.

Introduction: Mechanical intestinal obstruction is a disorder associated with intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome. As the large intestine intraluminal and intra-abdominal pressures are increased, so the patient's risk for intestinal ischaemia. Previous studies have focused on hypoperfusion and bacterial translocation without considering the concomitant effect of intra-abdominal hypertension.

Quantitative evaluation of the vasculature supplying the oviduct in pre-pubertal and sexually mature sows.

The present work was aimed at characterizing the regional vascularization of the oviduct in the pig to ascertain whether the number of terminal mesosalpingeal arterioles supplying the isthmus and ampulla is influenced by reproductive maturity and state of the estrous cycle. The total number of terminal arterioles (NTA) in the mesosalpinx was quantified under a stereomicroscope in latex injected ex-vivo reproductive tracts from pre-pubertal (n = 10) and mature sows (n = 34), the latter allocated into three phases of the estrous cycle: follicular (n = 12); early luteal (n = 11); and late luteal (n = 11). The NTA and density of terminal arterioles (DTA) changed little between pre-pubertal and mature sows or among sows of different reproductive status (P > 0.

Diagnosis agreement between capsule endoscopy and double-balloon enteroscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding at a referral center.

Background And Aim: Capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy are well-recognized procedures in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, with many factors that may influence their diagnosis yield. The aim of the present study was to characterize the degree of agreement between both techniques with focus on the type of lesion in a large cohort of patients at a referral center.

Material And Method: One thousand two hundred and nine capsules were administered in 1,078 patients and 381 enteroscopies were performed in 361 patients with obscure-gastrointestinal bleeding from 2004 to 2014.