Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Ostovic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Author-Name: T. Mikus Author-Workplace-Name: Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia Author-Name: Z. Pavicic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Author-Name: K. Matkovic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Author-Name: Z. Mesic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Title: Influence of socio-demographic and experiential factors on the attitudes of Croatian veterinary students towards farm animal welfare Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the factors influencing the attitudes of veterinary students in Croatia toward farm animal welfare. The survey was carried out at the only faculty of veterinary medicine in Croatia and included students from all years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study programme. The response rate was 91% (n = 505 subjects). According to the socio-demographic and experiential factors observed, females, students in their initial years of study, younger students with urban backgrounds, non-religious/non-spiritual students and vegetarians, and those intending to work with companion animals expressed more concerned attitudes regarding farm animal welfare (all P < 0.05). The type of secondary school completed, family monthly income and previous experience with farm or pet animals had no impact on student attitudes. The results of the study point to a variety of factors influencing veterinary student attitudes towards farm animal welfare. A recognition of these factors can contribute considerably to increasing student awareness of farm animal welfare. These results provide a basis for further research into the factors influencing veterinary attitudes to animal welfare and the complexity of their interactions. Keywords: farm animals, veterinary medicine, education, awareness, questionnaire Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 417-428 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/172/2016-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/172/2016-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:172-2016-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: E. Tvrda Author-Name: A. Mackovich Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: H. Greifova Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: F. Hashim Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Author-Name: N. Lukac Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia Title: Antioxidant effects of lycopene on bovine sperm survival and oxidative profile following cryopreservation Abstract: Reactive oxygen species overgeneration as a side effect of semen cryopreservation may lead to lipid peroxidation, protein degradation, DNA fragmentation and cell death, resulting in a decrease of sperm survival and fertilisation ability. Lycopene has been proposed as a potential supplement to semen extenders because of its antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of lycopene on the structural integrity, functional activity and selected oxidative stress parameters of cryopreserved bovine sperm. Thirty bovine ejaculates were split into two aliquots and diluted with a commercial semen extender supplemented with 1.5 mmol/l lycopene or containing no supplement (control), cooled down to 4 °C, frozen and kept in liquid nitrogen. Prior to experiments, frozen straws were thawed at 37 °C for 20 s. Lycopene addition resulted in a higher sperm motility (P < 0.001), progressive motility (P < 0.001) and all secondary motion characteristics (P < 0.001 with respect to the average path velocity, linear velocity, velocity of curvilinear motion, beat cross frequency, path straightness and linearity; P < 0.01 in the case of the amplitude of lateral head displacement). Furthermore, lycopene exhibited protective effects on the sperm membrane (P < 0.05) and acrosomal (P < 0.01) integrity in comparison to control. An assay for metabolic function revealed that lycopene supplementation to the cryopreservation medium resulted in a higher preservation of the sperm mitochondrial activity (P < 0.001). Reactive oxygen species production as well as intracellular superoxide generation were decreased following lycopene addition (P < 0.01 in the case of reactive oxygen species; P < 0.001 with respect to superoxide production). Finally, the presence of lycopene led to a decrease in protein carbonyl production (P < 0.01), lipid peroxidation (P < 0.001) as well as oxidative DNA damage (P < 0.05) when compared to control. In conclusion, lycopene exhibited significant reactive oxygen species-trapping and antioxidant properties which may prevent oxidative damage to frozen-thawed sperm, and, thus, enhance the post-thaw vitality of male reproductive cells in cattle breeding. Keywords: oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, bulls, supplements Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 429-436 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/86/2017-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/86/2017-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:86-2017-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J.P. Kastelic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada Author-Name: R.E. Wilde Author-Workplace-Name: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge, Canada Author-Name: G. Rizzoto Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada Author-Name: J.C. Thundathil Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada Title: Hyperthermia and not hypoxia may reduce sperm motility and morphology following testicular hyperthermia Abstract: The mammalian testis typically operates on the brink of hypoxia; the long-standing dogma is that increased testicular temperature increases metabolism, but blood flow is unaffected and the resulting hypoxia reduces sperm motility and morphology. In rats and mice, oxygen (O2) content of inspired air affected O2 content of testes, enabling the latter to range from approximately 50 to more than 200% of physiologic concentrations. A ram model was used to test the hypotheses that hypoxia would disrupt sperm motility and morphology and that hyperoxia would prevent hyperthermia-induced reductions in sperm motility and morphology. Eighteen Canadian Arcott rams (approximately 10 months old) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial, with factors being scrotal insulation (insulated or not insulated) and O2 concentrations in inspired air (14, 21 or 85%). Six rams, three with and three without scrotal insulation, were placed in each of three enclosed areas for 30 h to expose them to their respective oxygen concentrations, with scrotal insulation removed at the end of the exposure. Semen was collected by electro-ejaculation twice before insulation, bi-weekly for four weeks starting one week after exposures, and then once weekly for two weeks. There were effects of insulation, time and an insulation × time interaction for motile sperm and sperm that had normal morphology or head or midpiece defects (P < 0.01 for each). Sperm motility and morphology exhibited alterations between approximately two and five weeks after insulation, with mean progressively motile and morphologically normal sperm decreasing from approximately 55 to 35% and from 80 to 30%, respectively, and with head and midpiece defects increasing from approximately 3 to 50% and from 10 to 20% (P < 0.05 for each). The hypotheses that hypoxia would disrupt sperm quality and production, whereas hyperoxia would prevent hyperthermia-induced reductions in sperm quality and production, were not supported. This is apparently the first report that heat-stress induced damage to sperm was due to increased temperature per se and not testicular hypoxia, calling into question a long-standing paradigm. Keywords: scrotal/testicular thermoregulation, scrotal insulation, testicular hypoxia, semen quality, ram Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 437-442 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/124/2016-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/124/2016-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:124-2016-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Jakimiuk Author-Name: P. Podlasz Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: M. Chmielewska-Krzesinska Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Author-Name: K. Wasowicz Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland Title: Characterisation, localisation and expression of porcine TACR1, TACR2 and TACR3 genes Abstract: Substance P is involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. This functional diversity is mediated by three neurokinin receptor subtypes (NK1R, NK2R and NK3R) encoded by the TACR1, TACR2 and TACR3 genes, respectively. Despite the increasing interest in using pigs (Sus scrofa) to study human disease mechanisms, the sequences of these receptors are still unconfirmed or in the case of the NK1 receptor, not yet even unpredicted. We employed in silico analysis to define the localisation of the porcine tachykinin receptor genes, and to predict the structures and amino acid sequences of the respective proteins. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed to analyse the expression of tachykinin receptor genes in different porcine tissues. The data show that the TACR1 gene is located on chromosome 3, TACR2 on chromosome 14 and TACR3 on chromosome 8. All three genes encode proteins with structures that incorporate features of G-protein-coupled receptors with sizes of 407, 381 and 464 amino acids, respectively. The receptors display a high degree of similarity to other mammalian neurokinin receptors. The NK1R subtype is expressed in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues, while NK2R expression seems to be localised mostly to peripheral tissues. The expression of NK3R is found mainly in the central nervous system. This report provides for the first time the results of a comprehensive analysis of the structure and distribution of porcine NK1R, as well as other porcine neurokinin receptors and their genes. We hope that our data may offer an invaluable foundation for the future studies on the function of diverse tachykinin peptides in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Keywords: NK1 receptor, NK2 receptor, NK3 receptor, pig, substance P, tachykinin receptors Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 443-455 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/23/2017-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/23/2017-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:23-2017-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Z. Tomastikova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: S. Barazorda Romero Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Z. Knotek Author-Workplace-Name: University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Karpiskova Author-Workplace-Name: Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Prevalence and characteristics of Salmonella species isolated from captive reptiles in the Czech Republic Abstract: This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and characterising the strains of Salmonella species in various captive reptiles in the Czech Republic. A total of 211 samples of cloacal swabs from lizards, chelonians and snakes, and 14 swabs from terraria surfaces were collected between November 2014 and July 2015. After isolation according to the reference method (EN ISO), Salmonella spp. isolates were characterised using serotyping and macrorestriction analysis followed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Altogether, 39 isolates were obtained from 29 (19%) reptiles and from terraria surfaces. Among the different reptilian species, Salmonella spp. were found in 22 (25.6%) lizards, three (17.6%) snakes and four (8%) chelonians with 31 isolates classified as Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica and eight isolates classified as Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae. In total, 14 different serotypes were detected, with the most frequent serotypes being Salmonella Oranienburg, S. Fluntern, S. Tennessee and S. Cotham. Resistance to one antimicrobial agent (ampicillin, tetracycline or streptomycin) was detected in five isolates. The results of the macrorestriction analysis within the serotype groups showed varying level of heterogeneity. This study confirms that reptiles kept as pets can be both carriers and reservoirs of Salmonella spp., and that they can harbour various serotypes with intermittent excretion of the bacteria in faeces. Half of the detected serotypes have been involved in human reptile-associated salmonellosis cases in the past. S. enterica subsp. salamae serotype O:1,13,23;H:z29;H:1,5, monophasic S. enterica subsp. salamae serotype O:40;H:g,t;H:- and its biphasic form (S. enterica subsp. salamae serotype O:40;H:g,t;H:1,5) have apparently been isolated from reptiles for the first time in this study. Keywords: reptile-associated salmonellosis, serotyping, macrorestriction analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility, reptile species Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 456-469 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/44/2017-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/44/2017-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:44-2017-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Kulawik Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland Author-Name: K. Pluta Author-Workplace-Name: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Author-Name: M. Wojnowska Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Warsaw, Poland Author-Name: B. Bartyzel Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, Warsaw, Poland Author-Name: M. Nabzdyk Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland Author-Name: D. Bukowska Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland Title: Cephalothoracopagus (monocephalic dithoracic) conjoined twins in a pig (Sus scrofa f. domestica): a case report Abstract: In this report, we present a rare case of cephalothoracopagus (monocephalic dithoracic) conjoined twins with anencephaly in pig. Conjoined Polish large white piglets were born at term after an uncomplicated birth. The litter consisted of 11 piglets. The conjoined twins were born alive, but died shortly after birth and were subjected to further investigation. Blood vessels of the heart were filled with LBS 3060 latex, and then the twins were fixed in 10% non-buffered formalin. Necropsy revealed the external and internal anatomy of the affected twins. Examinations demonstrated abnormalities of skeletal, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems. The twins had a single head, neck and chest and were separated from the umbilicus caudally. They had four forelimbs and four hindlimbs. Examination of the skeleton revealed two complete vertebral columns connected with one skull. Two tongues and a cleft palate were present in the oral cavity. The conjoined twins had a single pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, part of jejunum, spleen, liver and pancreas. The remaining part of the digestive system was doubled. Each piglet had a separate urogenital apparatus. The examination revealed only one heart with structural abnormalities. Two larynxes and tracheas were identified. The right twin had the right lung while the left twin had the left lung. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first detailed report of this type of conjoined twins in the pig. Keywords: Polish large white, anencephaly, cleft palate, congenital malformation, skull hypoplasia, parturition Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 470-477 Volume: 62 Issue: 8 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/155/2016-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/155/2016-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-201708-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:62:y:2017:i:8:id:155-2016-VETMED