Morphological adaptation of the tongue of okapi (Okapia johnstoni Artiodactyla, Giraffidae)-Anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure.

The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of the tongue of the okapi, and to compare the results with other ruminants including browsers, intermediates and grazers. The material was collected post-mortem from two animals from a Zoological Garden. The structure of the okapi tongue, focusing of the shape of the tongue, lingual surface, its papillae and lingual glands, was examined using gross morphology, light and polarized microscopy, and by scanning electron microscopy.

Pre-Pulse Inhibition of an escape response in adult fruit fly, .

Pre-Pulse Inhibition (PPI) is a neural process where suppression of a startle response is elicited by preceding the startling stimulus (Pulse) with a weak, non-startling one (Pre-Pulse). Defective PPI is widely employed as a behavioural endophenotype in humans and mammalian disorder-relevant models for neuropsychiatric disorders. We have developed a user-friendly, semi-automated, high-throughput-compatible light-off jump response PPI paradigm, with which we demonstrate that PPI, with similar parameters measured in mammals, exists in adults of this model organism.

Lingual Ultrastructural and Histochemical Study in the Patagonian Mara (Rodentia: Caviidae, ) in Relation to Other Hystricomorphs.

The study describes the ultrastructure of the tongue in the Patagonian mara () using light and scanning electron microscopy. Histochemical methods were used for evaluation of lingual salivary glands. The tongue is divided into a small and rounded apex, a narrow corpus, and a significantly wider radix, with a well-developed lingual prominence.

Regulatory T lymphocytes and selected cytokines in horses with mild to severe equine asthma and different inflammatory cytology profiles.

This study determined Tregs and inflammatory cytokines in BALF and peripheral blood (PB) of adult horses with mild and severe asthma and different BALF cytological inflammation profiles. Horses of diverse breeds with asthma (age range: 2-20 years, n = 24) were divided into groups according to the number of points obtained in a standardized clinical scoring system (mild-moderate equine asthma - MEA, severe equine asthma - SEA) and according to the inflammation type based on cytological finding. Plasma levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 and MMP-9 in the BALF were determined by ELISA.

Lymphocyte immunophenotyping and concentration of MMP-9 in transudates and exudates in horses.

This study is the first to provide information on the lymphocyte subpopulations in peritoneal effusions in horses. Peritoneal transudates (n = 12), peritoneal exudates (n = 6) and a pleural exudate (n = 1) were analyzed. The total nucleated cell count (TNCC), total protein (TP) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) concentration determined by ELISA were measured and routine cytological evaluation was performed.