The present study is to describe the histological characterization of rat neuromuscular receptors and their density in relationship to extrafusal muscle fibres. Neuromuscular receptors or (muscle spindles) were identified and isolated from fore and hindlimb muscles and examined by the light microscope. The _average numbers and densities of muscle spindles were found comparable to some other mammals. . Each muscle spindle was contained 2-4 intrafusal muscle fibres . Three types of intrafusal muscle fibres were distinguished as large (L), medium (M) and small (S). All muscle spindles innervated by sensory and motor nerve fibres which branching from spindle nerve trunk.

As a component of a large research programme to evaluate the effects. of contaminants on fish health in the fields , histopathological studies have been conducted to help establish meat of causal relationships between contaminants exposure and various biological responses and use of those responses as biomarker to aquatic pollution . Two fish species C. carpio and L. abu were sampled from four sites near of industrialize and human pollution areas from _ Shatt Al-Arab River ,while the fifth place was considered as control because it's far located from direct pollution sources . Some of histological and physiological alterations were examined in both gills and blood . The alterations were significantly higher in fish collected from two places ( 1 & 2 ) compare with other sites , histological was represented by hyperplasia , hypertrophy , bleeding , inflammations , edema , necrosis , epithelial separation and clubbing shaped , while , physiological was represented‘ by decrease of Na+ , K+ , Ca” concentrations , Chloride cells number and increase of respiratory diffusion distance , in addition to , increase of micronuclear of red blood cells . all fish in fifth place didn't showed any histological and physiological responses and retained their rates of the normal level compares with other places

A total of 24 adult male aged 32 weeks from Iraqi local drakes were used in this study to determined some semen characterization, drakes devided randomly into three equal groups and subjected to three semen collection frequencies (once daily, twice daily and once every 2 days) for- 18 consecutive days. The study revealed the following results: 1- Semen characteristics of Iraqi local drakes were, semen volume 0.65ml, spermatozoa concentration 3.52 X 10 9, sperm motility and Abnormality 81.64, 13.14% respectively, pll value 7.1 and individual motility 84.2%. The concentration of glucose, protein and cholesterol in semen plasma were 95.8ml/100ml, 1.22mg/ 100 ml and 102.4 Mnol/ml respectively. 2— The total mean semen volume over 18 days period and total number of spermatozoa produced by the drakes increased significantly as the collection frequency in creased from once over 2 days to twice daily from 3.42 to 8.90ml and 5.85 x 109 to 10.72 x 109 respectively. 3- The average semen volume per collection and the average number of spermatozoa per ejaculate decreased significantly as the collection frequency increased from once over 2days to twice daily from 0.91 to 0.67ml and 1.96 X 109 to 0.92 X 10 9 respectively. 1- , 4- No significantly difference showed on concentration of spermatozoa with the . frequency of collection over 3 periods. 5- Analysis of semen from birds were ejaculated twice daily was showed that the second collection inferior to the first in total number of spermatozoa, total volume of semen and concentration of spermatozoa.

The pattern of growth and carcass composition of indigenous Iraqi black goats were assessed through serial slaughter and carcass dissection of 36 kids at six different growth phases. The general linear model procedure and allometric growth ‘equations were used to assess the effects of various factors and differential growth of carcass components, ' respectively. Results showed that kids growth and carcass composition were significantly (P< 0-05 to P< O-O01) affected by the growth phase and sex of kids. The effects of growth phase clearly showed that slower growth of the body and of carcass components were observed during the third phase (i.e. after weaning). Although there was an effect on fat to lean ratios (P _ < 005), growth phase had no significant effect on dressing out proportion, and lean to bone ratios. A significant influence of sex (P < 0-O5) "was observed on lean to bone ratios. The log/log regression of weights of dissectible carcass components on hot carcass and empty body weight showed that the differential growth of bone was declining and that of lean was isometric relative to the growth of empty body weight. For carcass fat, the allometric growth coefficients (b) of 1.6 indicated that fat is a late maturing body component. Moreover the growth of carcass fat relative to empty body weight in local goat was slower than that reported for other goat breeds

This study had been done on twenty four healthy adult local female rabbits of _ mean body weight of 2 kgm and mean age of 5 months were randomly allocated into four groups of six ainmals eash; all groups were fed during the period of experiment on a diet contained 0.5 % cholesterol and 14% coconut oil. The first group was regarded as control and received 3ml of physiological saline orally‘ for a month. The second group was drenched ethanolic extract of Taraxacum ojficirzale (500 mg/kg/day) for one month; the third group first subjected to cholecystoctomy (removal of gall bladder) then drenched 500 mg/kg/day ethanolic extract of T. oflicinale for month also. The fourth group was treated with atrovastatin (0.4 mg/kg/day) for one month also. Those females were joined with males after treatment for a week to study the effect on fertility and reproductive capacity and on fetal growth. Blood samples were taken from all groups at the end of the treatment to know the effect on serum cholesterol and on enzymatic activity then after killing the animals the following organs were taken for histological study. They are pituitary and thyroid glands; ovaries and uterin from each animal of each . group. The following results were obtained:- 1. The ethanolic extract of Taraxacum ofiicinale caused highly significant increase (p

ABSTRACT _ The fertility and viability rates of hydatid cysts obtained from livers and lungs of goat,camels and buffaloes were investigated .Out of (659) cysts (198 from goat,241 from buffaloes and 220 from camels) .examined ,520(164 from goat ,156 from buffaloes and 200 from camels were fertile (containing living protoscolices).The mean viability rates in -the liver cysts of goat camel and buffalo were (77.4%, 76.8% and 76.7%) respectively whereas those in the lung cyst of the same hosts,in the same order were 81.2% 75% and - 84.65% respectively. The growth rate of lung cysts was slower than those of liver in all hosts investigated. . Three hosts investigated seem to be suitable hosts for Echinococcus granulosus .However ,goats seem to be the most significant host that contributes actively in A perptuation of life cycle of this parasite in Iraq .

Selected specimens of Carassius carassius fish were exposed to acute lead concentrations (15 , 30 and 45 MgL ), for tow periods 48 and 96 hrs The exposure to lead occurred changes in some blood parameter in treatment fish., There was an’ increasing in the R.B.C. , Hb, M.C.H., blood glucose and blood lactic acid , These changes were more clear after 96 hrs Whereas values of PCV and MCV showed decline significantly, blood serpm also appeared disturb on ionic balance represented by decreasing in(Na+ , K+ and Ca 2 ) after( 48 and 96 ) hours in treatment fish compare with control specimens.

The early release of cytokines by cells involved in innate immunity is an important host response to intracellular pathogens. Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is an important cytokine produced during the early stages of an infection by macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and other cell types, and it is also a central cytokine mediator for the induction of cellular or Th1 immunity. To better understand innate and adaptive immune responses after infection with Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), we investigated serum IFN-gamma concentrations and the duration of viremia. For 2 strains of atypical PRRSV, IFN-gamma was detectable in swine serum soon after infection and lasted for approximately 3 wk. Serum concentrations of IFN-gamma peaked at about 10 d after inoculation and returned to approximately baseline levels by day 22. However, individual pigs manifested short, sporadic increases in the serum concentration of IFN-gamma from 18 to 50 d after inoculation. Prior vaccination blocked the serum IFN-gamma response associated with homologous virus challenge and altered the kinetics of the response after heterologous challenge. Two other respiratory viruses of pigs, Porcine respiratory coronavirus and Swine influenza virus, do not appear to induce serum IFN-gamma. The early production of IFN-gamma in PRRSV-infected pigs might result from activation of NK cells, a response that is more characteristic of immune pathways stimulated by intracellular bacterial and protozoan infections.

Objective-To determine the susceptibility of strains of Pasteurella multocida subsp multocida isolated from lung specimens of pigs with pneumonia to 20 antimicrobials and to evaluate the emergence of resistance to those antimicrobials in Spain during the past 2 decades. Sample Population-63 isolates recovered from 1987 to 1988 and 132 isolates recovered from 2003 to 2004. Procedure-A broth microdilution method was used to determine minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) range and values for MIC50 and MIC90. Resistance of a strain to an antimicrobial agent was determined by use of the breakpoint value when available. Results-Isolates were generally susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, ceftiofur, gentamicin, apramycin, neomycin, spectinomycin, chlortetracycline, erythromycin, tilmicosin, enrofloxacin, and florfenicol, and most isolates were resistant to clindamycin, tylosin tartrate, and tiamulin regardless of the time period. A substantial increase in resistance to sulfachlorpiridazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfathiazole, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was observed, and a minor increase in resistance to oxytetracycline was also detected. Several multiresistance patterns were observed, most frequently among isolates recovered in the 2003 to 2004 interval. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Ceftiofur, florfenicol, and enrofloxacin are recommended for treatment of infections caused by P multocida subsp multocida in Spain. Increased frequency of resistance to oxytetracycline and sulfonamide drugs may be a contraindication for their use.

Objective-To investigate effects of isoflurane at approximately the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) of the forelimb of ponies as a method for quantifying anesthetic potency. Animals-7 healthy adult Shetland ponies. Procedure-Individual MAC (iMAC) for isoflurane was determined for each pony. Then, effects of isoflurane administered at 0.85, 0.95, and 1.05 iMAC on the NWR were assessed. At each concentration, the NWR threshold was defined electromyographically for the common digital extensor and deltoid muscles by stimulating the digital nerve; additional electrical stimulations (3, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mA) were delivered, and the evoked activity was recorded and analyzed. After the end of anesthesia, the NWR threshold was assessed in standing ponies. Results-Mean +/- SD MAC of isoflurane was 1.0 +/- 0.2%. The NWR thresholds for both muscles increased significantly in a concentration-dependent manner during anesthesia, whereas they decreased in awake ponies. Significantly higher thresholds were found for the deltoid muscle, compared with thresholds for the common digital extensor muscle, in anesthetized ponies. At each iMAC tested, amplitudes of the reflex responses from both muscles increased as stimulus intensities increased from 3 to 40 mA. A concentration-dependent depression of evoked reflexes with reduction in slopes of the stimulus-response functions was detected. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Anesthetic-induced changes in sensory-motor processing in ponies anesthetized with isoflurane at concentrations of approximately 1.0 MAC can be detected by assessment of NWR. This method will permit comparison of effects of inhaled anesthetics or anesthetic combinations on spinal processing in equids.