<div>Background: Heart is the principal organ of circulatory system that pumps blood into the blood vessels and performs many vital functions. Its development before birth must be studied to safeguard the animal from the occurrence and consequences of various developmental anomalies. The detailed morphometry of different external parameters of heart especially in pre-natal sheep has not yet been reported. 
 
Methods: The foeti of sheep were divided into three age groups viz. early prenatal (up to 50 days), mid prenatal (51-100 days) and late prenatal (101 to 150 days) with fifteen animals in each age group. The various external parameters were recorded by using digital weighing machine, graduated measuring cylinder, digital Vernier&rsquo;s calliper, non-stretchable nylon thread and graduated scale. The data recorded was statistically analysed by one way ANOVA with IBM SPSS 25.0 version software.&nbsp; 
 
Result: It was revealed that the average width of heart at its base was 4.82&plusmn;0.22mm, 10.52&plusmn;0.72mm and 21.57&plusmn;1.03mm in early prenatal, mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively. The average dorso-ventral length of left ventricle of heart was measured as 4.82&plusmn;0.14mm, 12.07&plusmn;1.16mm and 25.58&plusmn;0.88mm in early prenatal, mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively. The average distance between the left longitudinal groove and cranial border of heart at base was measured as 2.93&plusmn;0.11mm, 6.38&plusmn;0.39mm and 9.78&plusmn;0.41mm in early prenatal, mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively. Similarly, the average distance between the right longitudinal groove and cranial border of heart at middle was measured as 1.96&plusmn;0.09mm, 5.01&plusmn;0.34mm and 8.31&plusmn;0.50mm in early prenatal, mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively. All these parameters recorded showed significant (p &le; 0.01) differences among the ages.</div>

<div>Morphometrical Studies on the Exterior of the Heart of Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep</div>

<div>Background: Heart is the central organ of circulatory system that pumps blood into the blood vessels and performs many vital functions. Its development before birth must be studied to safeguard the animal from the occurrence and consequences of various developmental anomalies. The detailed morphometry of different internal parameters of heart especially in pre-natal sheep has not yet been reported. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The foeti of sheep were divided into two age groups viz. mid prenatal (51-100 days) and late prenatal (101 to 150 days) with fifteen animals in each age group. The various internal parameters were recorded by using digital weighing machine, graduated measuring cylinder, digital Vernier&rsquo;s calliper, non-stretchable nylon thread and graduated scale. The data recorded was statistically analysed by independent t test with IBM SPSS 25.0 version software.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The average thickness of left ventricular wall of heart was measured as 2.85&plusmn;0.15 mm and 4.28&plusmn;0.07 mm in mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively with significant (p&le;0.01) differences between the ages. Similarly, the average diameter of left atrio-ventricular opening of heart was measured as 2.06&plusmn;0.27 mm and 6.08&plusmn;0.36 mm in mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively with significant (p&le;0.01) differences between the ages. The average length of septal papillary muscle in right ventricle was measured as 1.12&plusmn;0.10 mm and 3.29&plusmn;0.21 mm in mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively with significant (p&le;0.01) differences between the ages. Further, the average length of moderator band in heart was measured as 1.45&plusmn;0.11 mm and 4.34&plusmn;0.23 mm in mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively with significant (p&le;0.01) differences between the ages. Similarly, the average length of chordae tendinae in right ventricle of heart was measured as 0.97&plusmn;0.09 mm and 3.50&plusmn;0.34 mm in mid prenatal and late prenatal stages respectively with significant (p&le;0.01) differences between the ages.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Age Wise Internal Morphometrical Studies on the Heart of Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep</div>

<div>Background: Heart is the principal organ of circulatory system that pumps blood into the blood vessels and performs many vital functions. Studies on its development before birth of utmost important to safeguard the animal from the occurrence and consequences of various developmental anomalies. The ultrastructural details of ventricular architecture of heart especially in pre-natal sheep has not yet been reported. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The collected foeti of sheep were divided into three age groups viz. early prenatal (up to 50 days), mid prenatal (51-100 days) and late prenatal (101 to 150 days). The samples from ventricles were processed for scanning electron microscopic study and subsequently, the samples were viewed and the photographs were taken in the facility available at Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF), OUAT, Bhubaneswar. The measurements of various parameters of ventricles were also taken at the ultrastructural level. The recorded data were subjected to routine statistical analysis. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Result: It was observed that the endocardium of the ventricles consisted of a simple squamous epithelium. The endothelial cells were elongated in shape and arranged linearly on the surface of ventricles in 33 days prenatal non-descript sheep. The boundaries among the endothelial cells were indistinct in this age group. There was presence of pores among the endothelial cells on the surface of the ventricles. In late prenatal period, the endothelial cells of the ventricles became elongated in shape. The subendocardial layer consisted of connective tissue fibers and conducting purkinje fibers, which were quite predominant in the late prenatal period, i.e. at the age of 120 days of gestation. The endocardial fibers were distinctly coiled around the endothelial cells of the ventricles in this age group. The myocardium comprised of cylindrical and highly branched cardiac muscle fibers with pores all over the surface of the myocardium of the ventricles. Each muscle bundle in the myocardium consisted of muscle fibers extending parallel to each other longitudinally and that these fibers made collateral connections with each other in some regions. The papillary muscles were ridge like structures projecting into the lumen of the ventricles of heart. The chordae tendinae connected the papillary muscles and the bicuspid and tricuspid valves. The endothelial surface of the chordae tendinae consisted of elongated endothelial cells with pores among them. The pores of various sizes were arranged linearly in patches on the endothelial surface of the chordae tendinae of the ventricles especially in the late prenatal period, i.e. at about 105 days of gestation. &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>

<div>Scanning Electron Microscopic Studies on the Ventricular Architecture of Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep</div>

<div>Background: Being the vital organ of circulatory system, the development of the heart before birth must be studied to safeguard the animal from the incidence of various developmental anomalies. The ultrastructural details of auricular and atrio-ventricular valvular architecture of heart especially in pre-natal sheep has not yet been reported. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The collected foeti of sheep were divided into three age groups viz. early prenatal (up to 50 days), mid prenatal (51-100 days) and late prenatal (101 to 150 days). The samples of auricle, bicuspid and tricuspid valves were processed for scanning electron microscopic study (Scanning Electron Microscope, Make: Hitachi and Model: S-3400N) and subsequently, the samples were viewed and the photographs were taken in the facility available at Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF), OUAT, Bhubaneswar. The measurements of various parameters of auricles and valves were also taken at the ultrastructural level by the inbuilt software programming system. The recorded data were subjected to routine statistical analysis. 
 
Result: It was revealed that the endocardium was the inner layer of the auricles of heart. The endothelial surface of the auricles was occupied by the simple squamous epithelium. The endothelial cells were elongated in shape in all the age groups. The subendothelial layer was consisted of connective tissue fibers and conducting fibers. The pectinate muscles covered the inner side of the right and left atria and were interconnected having a network like appearance except in mid prenatal stage, i.e. at 96 days of gestation, where they were arranged linearly. There was presence of pores among the pectinate muscles in both the atria in all the age groups under study. The endothelial surface of the bicuspid or mitral and tricuspid valves was lined by simple squamous endothelium that projected into the lumen of the valve. There was presence of pores among the endothelial cells of the valves. Further, the subendothelial layer was present just below the endothelium and comprised of connective tissue fibers and conducting fibers in both the valves. The width of the fibers in bicuspid valve was not uniform and was further categorized into thick and thin fibers especially in the mid prenatal stage, i.e. at 96 days of gestation. There was presence of clusters of pores among the endothelial cells of the tricuspid valve in the heart especially in the late prenatal stage, i.e. at 120 days of gestation period.</div>

<div>Scanning Electron Microscopic Studies on the Auricular and Atrio-ventricular Valvular Architecture of Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep</div>

Background: Being the vital organ of circulatory system, the development of the heart before birth must be studied to safeguard the animal from the incidence of various developmental anomalies. The histochemical and biochemical details of cardiac architecture especially in pre-natal sheep have not yet been reported.&nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Methods: The collected foeti of sheep were divided into three age groups viz. early prenatal (up to 50 days), mid prenatal (51-100 days) and late prenatal (101 to 150 days). The samples of heart were processed by routine paraffin technique and cryo technique and after section cutting, the slides were stained by various histochemical staining methods. Further, fresh pieces of the heart samples were also processed for getting tissue extracts for the biochemical analysis.&nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Result: It was revealed that the PAS activity was observed in the cardiac wall, interatrial septum and interventricular septum in the sheep foeti at all stages of gestation. A variable degree of acid phosphatase activity was noted in the myocardium of heart wall in the sheep foeti at all stages of gestation. The lipid deposition also increased with advancing age in the myocardium of cardiac wall, interatrial septum and interventricular septum in the heart of sheep foeti. The activities of various enzymes like creatine kinase, alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase were high in left ventricle than the right ventricle in the heart of sheep foeti. Certain protein bands of specific molecular weight appeared in the ventricular tissue at specific age of gestation in addition to a group of common proteins which appeared in ventricular tissue of sheep foeti in all age groups under study.

Histochemical and Biochemical Developmental Studies on the Heart in Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep (Ovis aries)

Background: Being the vital organ of circulatory system, the development of the heart before birth must be studied to safeguard the animal from the incidence of various developmental anomalies. The histological and histomorphometrical details of cardiac architecture especially in pre-natal sheep have not yet been reported.&nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Methods: The foeti of sheep were collected from the local slaughter houses situated at Laxmisagar and Jadupur of Bhubaneswar city. The collected foeti were divided into three age groups viz. early prenatal (up to 50 days) or G-I, mid prenatal (51-100 days) or G-II and late prenatal (101 to 150 days) or G-III. The heart samples of the sheep foeti were processed by routine paraffin technique and after section cutting, the slides were stained by routine Haematoxyline and Eosin stains, Masson&rsquo;s trichrome stain, Verhoeff&rsquo;s stain and Gomori&rsquo;s stain for studying the detailed histological and histomorphometrical parameters.&nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
Result: It was revealed that the cells lining the endocardium and epicardium became elongated from flat shape with advancing age. The intercalated discs appeared continuous from broken lines with advancing age in the myocardium of cardiac wall in sheep foeti. The frequency of blood vessels, connective tissue fibres and connective tissue cells increased with age in the subendothelium, subepicardium, myocardium and epicardium in the sheep foeti. The average thickness of heart chambers, average diameter of the myocardiocytes and their nuclei in atrial and ventricular walls, papillary muscles, pectinate muscles and Purkinje fibre cells revealed an age dependent rise in sheep foeti of G-I to G-III. The frequency distribution of myocardiocytes and fibroblast in myocardium also increased with in sheep foeti of G-I to G-III.

Histological and Histomorphometrical Characterization of the Cardiac Architecture in Pre-natal Non-descript Sheep (Ovis aries)

<div>Background: The enzymatic digestion occurs in the abomasum of sheep. A systematic comprehensive study on the embryogenesis of abomasums of sheep is lacking due to availability of sporadic information in current literature. So the current research was designed to explain the detail gross ontogenic occurrences along with scanning electron microscopic study of abomasum in sheep. 
 
Methods: From the local slaughter house, 12 healthy sheep foeti of non-descript breed were gathered and grouped into Group I (early pregnancy), Group II (mid pregnancy) and Group III (late pregnancy) having 04 foeti in every group. The abdomen of the foetus was incised and opened. The stomach was exposed and the gross observations were recorded. Then tissue samples from the abomasum were processed for scanning electron microscopic study. 
 
Result: The abomasums assumed comma shape at the gestational age of 32 to 48 days. At 67 days of foetus, the external constriction between fundus and pylorus of the abomasum was observed distinctly. In foeti of 32 to 48 days age, it was present between 13th rib and 1st lumbar vertebra. This topography changed to 8th rib and 3rd lumbar vertebra by 121 days of foetal age. The outline of the abomasal folds were noted first at 32 days of age. The height of the abomasal folds in fundus was larger than pylorus. The appearance of gastric pits on the mucosal surface was first observed at 63 days of gestation through scanning electron microscope.</div>

Gross Morphological and Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Abomasum of Sheep (Ovis aries) during Pre-natal Life

Maturation and fertilization in vitro and further development to full terms of pre-pubertal mammalian oocytes has been confirmed in several mammalian species. Fetal and postnatal development of female germ cells has been described. Furthermore, oocyte maturation and fertilization processes in addition to further embryonic development were described of mammalian oocytes obtained during pre-pubertal, pubertal, follicular and luteal stages. In addition, the assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) were used for potential exploiting of pre-pubertal oocytes. The ARTs included were maturation and culture conditions, fertilization procedures in addition to reconstruction of artificial oocytes. Therefore, the articles concerning mammalian oocyte growth and development during fetal and postnatal periods in addition to maturation and further embryonic development were used for writing the manuscript and the articles were collected from databases of ScienceDirect, PubMed and google scholar. Maturation occurred for GV oocytes obtained from fetal stage but they were unable to develop further. On the other hand, pre-pubertal oocytes obtained from post-natal stage of different mammalian species were able to mature and develop to full terms after fertilization and culture in vitro. The female age were differed between mammalian species to collect competent pre-pubertal oocytes. The applied assisted reproductive techniques were resulted in significant substantial increase of pre-pubertal oocyte development. It could be concluded that pre-pubertal oocytes could be used to shortening the interval between generations and exploitation of genetically superior animals through assisted reproductive techniques.

Growth and Developmental Competence of Pre-pubertal Mammalian Oocytes: Applications of Assisted Reproductive Techniques

<div style="text-align: justify;">The present study was conducted to know the effect of pre-treatment on the cooking quality, functional properties, visual appearance and organoleptic quality in comparison with raw foxtail millet grains. Different pre-treatments were given to the millet grains in different combination such as roasting; cooking and drying; cooking, drying and roasting; soaking, steaming and drying; soaking, steaming, drying and roasting. Pre-treatments decreased cooking time (11.66 to 5.33 min) and per cent solubility (6.72 to 2.08 %). Pre-treatment increased cooked weight (28.66 to 37.33 g), cooked volume (23.66 to 32.33 ml) and swelling power (5.60 to 6.77 g/g). Pre-treatments decreased the visual appearance of grains. Cooked rice of pre-treated grains affected appearance, colour and texture in organoleptic evaluation. Each above mentioned quality characters was ranked and scores were given. As cooked dried and roasted grains got high total score than other pre-treatments, it can be used as ready to eat convenient rice.</div>

Cooking and organoleptic quality of pre-treated foxtail millet (Setaria italica) rice

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: It is usually accepted that some degree of post-surgical pain will be commonly present. There are different pain scales adopted in veterinary practice to assess these behavioural signs to measure pain. VAS had been used in human medicine for many years to measure pain and was found equally satisfactory in dogs. Pre-emptive analgesia (PEA) is grasping popularity in recent days, the concept of which originated during the time of growing appreciation of dynamic characteristics of pain pathway for obtaining effective analgesia prior to the surgical trauma. 
Methods:&nbsp;The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of tramadol, pentazocine lactate and meloxicam as pre-emptive analgesics in dogs premedicated with glycopyrrolate, induction and maintenance with propofol continuous rate infusion (CRI) for certain clinical and physiological parameters. The animals were randomly divided into three equal groups viz. Group-T, Group-P and Group-M comprising six animals in each group and all were premedicated with glycopyrrolate, I/M. After 10 minutes of pre-anaesthetic administration, pre-emptive analgesia was given (Tramadol in Group-T, Pentazocine lactate in Group-P and Meloxicam in Group-M intravenously). After 10 minutes of pre-emptive analgesic administration, induction was achieved with propofol I/V and also maintained by CRI method up to 1 hour. Clinical and physiological parameters were recorded at 0 (baseline) minute before premedication, thereafter at 10 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr and 3 hr after pre-emptive analgesic administration.&nbsp; 
Result:&nbsp;There was no sedation observed within 10 min following pre-emptive analgesia and quality of sedation was recorded as score-0 in all the groups. Time for induction was significantly higher in group-M as compared to group-T and P. Quality of induction in all the groups ranged from score-0 to score1, assessment of peri-operative analgesia was recorded as score-0 in group-T and group-P, whereas in group-M it ranged from score-0 to score-1. Depth of anaesthesia was recorded as score-0 to score-1 in all the groups and quality of recovery was recorded as score-0 to score-1 in group-T and group-P and score-1 to score-2 in group-M. Assessment of post-operative analgesia by VAS was significantly lower in group-T as compared to group-P and M. In all the three groups, the heart rate increased significantly at 30 min interval and thereafter it decreased significantly till the end of the study. Respiratory rate also decreased significantly till 1 hr and thereafter it gradually increased till the end of study in all the groups. Rectal temperature, SpO2, systolic pressure and diastolic pressure decreased significantly at 30 min and thereafter increased gradually and approached base values in all the groups.</div>